Life of the Tarty

 

Ingredients

· 1 fully baked Basic Tart Pastry Shell

· 1 cup granulated sugar

· 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

· Zest of 2 lemons

· 1 cup fresh lemon juice, from about 8 lemons

· 4 large eggs plus 4 egg yolks

· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

· 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 

Steps

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2) Combine the sugar, basil, and lemon zest in a food processor and blitz until the basil leaves have been completely incorporated into the sugar. Consider slathering yourself in the this fragrant green sugar, but resist the urge and forge on.

3) Pour the sugar into a 2-quart saucepan. Add the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and salt and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture is warmed through. Add the butter gradually and stir until all the cubes have melted. Continue cooking until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spatula, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the corners of the saucepan. Remove from the heat and strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve. 

4) Keep the baked tart shell in the tart pan and place it on a baking sheet. Pour the curd into the tart shell and smooth the surface.

5) Bake the tart for 5 to 10 minutes, just to set the filling. The edges should be solid while the center retains the slightest of jiggles.

6) Cool completely before decorating.

 

From: Pieometry: Modern Tart Art and Pie Design for the Eye and the Palate