Lemon tart with summer berries

Lemon tart with summer berries

A zingy lemon tart from Mr Ramsay. Gordon's version of the classic French Tarte au citron is well worth the effort

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 10 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 15 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Method

  1. Finely grate the zest of 3 of the lemons into a bowl. Halve all the lemons, then use a fork to squeeze out all the juice and pulp into the bowl with the zest - don't worry about the seeds. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl, then whisk in the caster sugar until completely combined. Whisk in the cream and lemon juice mix, then set aside.
  2. Place a 23cm tart ring or loose-bottom flan tin on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Lift onto a rolling pin, then drape over the tart ring or flan tin, leaving the excess hanging over the edge. Carefully press the pastry into the sides with a small ball of pastry. Put in fridge or freezer for 20 mins to allow pastry to chill.
  3. While the pastry is chilling, heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Prick the base of the pastry case, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the paper and beans, then bake the case for 5-10 mins more until it is biscuity brown and crisp. Lower oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
  4. Use a ladle to push the lemon custard through a sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Skim the bubbles from the surface of the custard, then pour the custard into a jug. Pull the tart out of the oven slightly, then pour in the custard so it comes to the top. You may have some left over. Push tart back in, then bake for 35-40 mins until the top forms a light crust and the custard is just set. Leave to cool, then chill.
  5. While the tart is cooling, make the berry salad. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and scatter the icing sugar over the base. Heat until the sugar dissolves and caramelises. Throw in the berries, toss with the sugar, then splash in the sherry vinegar. Bubble for a min until everything is just starting to soften, then tip onto a plate and leave to cool slightly.
  6. Use a serrated knife to trim away the pastry and make a neat edge. Dust the tart lightly with icing sugar, then use a blowtorch to caramelise the top. Leave the top to set, then repeat the process so that you get an extra-thick layer of caramel. Stir the mint through the berries. Serve the tart in slices with a bowl of the berry salad on the side.
Try

Tip - Blowtorch

Caramelising the tart with a blowtorch turns the top into a kind of crème brûlée.

Per serving

490 kcalories, protein 8g, carbohydrate 58g, fat 27 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 2g, sugar 44g, salt 0.35 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo lostkat

    27 June 2008

    lostkat rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely stunning. I made this for a meal for 5 thinking there would be left overs and it was completely devoured. Extremely lemony and not too sweet either. I even managed to get the blowtorch bit right with the sugar on top! The summer berries were also beautiful and would be very nice on their own with ice cream. Gorgeous recipe. I'll definitely make again!

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  • Binder photo val hill

    03 July 2008

    val hill rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    My grandson thought it was the best

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  • Binder photo Chef Santiago

    04 July 2008

    Chef Santiago rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    The lemon taste was absolutly stunning the greatest thing to ever come out of my oven. Bravo! Bravo! Mr. Ramsay you sir are a culinary god.

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  • Binder photo Belit

    04 July 2008

    Belit rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This was delicious. I tried to make a few convenient alterations just to make it easier for myself. It didn't turn out so well appearance-wise, but the flavour was still fantastic. I used a pyrex glass pie dish instead of the metal ring called for. The pastry I used both shrunk AND puffed (and this I prepared exactly according to directions). I also forgot to skim off the bubbles before adding custard to crust, and I wasn't able to do the blowtorch thing to make the caramel top crust. As for the berries, I let a couple of handfuls of frozen raspberries and blackberries thaw with 3-4 tbsp golden sugar, and that made a great addition to the tart. Will definitely make again, and have not decided if I will buy the right equipment to follow instructions exactly the next time, or if I'll settle for my easier and less pretty version...

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  • Binder photo Ali

    13 July 2008

    Ali rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely incredible. My guest were speechless, it was the best one I have ever tasted and I used local, organic Guernsey lemons. Yum!

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  • Binder photo lostkat

    19 July 2008

    lostkat commented on this recipe

    Just a little tip - if you don't have baking beans, any dried beans or pulses will do. I used kidney beans as they were on offer in the supermarket. I've now got them in a little tub for next time I make a quiche or tart.

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  • Binder photo Joyclyn

    24 July 2008

    Joyclyn commented on this recipe

    Lemon tart always a favourite. I love the lemon tang and the zing it leaves in your mouth. Thanks Gordon you are THE BEST. I have made a lot of other versions but this is SIMPLY THE BEST.

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  • Binder photo eddie

    09 August 2008

    eddie commented on this recipe

    this looks and sounds great. Off to the shops to buy the ingredients, watch this space;;

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  • Binder photo densrecipes

    11 August 2008

    densrecipes commented on this recipe

    sounds delicious, will certainly make it at my dinner party on the 27th Aug

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  • Binder photo chimpy

    11 September 2008

    chimpy commented on this recipe

    Err do you line the baking sheet or the flan tin with baking paper?

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  • Binder photo laineyj

    24 September 2008

    laineyj rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Only used the recipe for the filling made my own pastry and it was delicious i did add an extra lemon as i like it quiet tart rather than sweet.

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  • Binder photo squeelia

    29 September 2008

    squeelia commented on this recipe

    I made this at the weekend with my uncle. I am 16 and love cookiung desserts. It was fantastic this dessert, however we only used 4 lemons and it was still delicious. Totally vanished by the family. Excellent to make.

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  • Binder photo squeelia

    29 September 2008

    squeelia commented on this recipe

    I also forgot to add that I made my own pastry for this dessert and although it adds time and effort to it, it is well worth the effort.

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  • Binder photo Susan

    03 October 2008

    Susan commented on this recipe

    Please could anyone tell me was a "block of dessert pastries" is?

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  • Binder photo Dee

    06 October 2008

    Dee commented on this recipe

    I made this tart and it was lovely but I had problems with it. I only used the juice and pulp from three lemons - didn't read the instructions properly - but it was delicious even so, not too tart. My problem was with the loose bottomed flan tin - the bit about lining with greaseproof paper is unclear - do they mean line the flan tin (which I did and the pastry got stuck to it) or line the baking tray - if so, why? Also, my pastry all got stuck to the sides of my flan tin so I couldn't get it out of the tin, hence my slices weren't beautifully presented and they had no pastry crusts! Luckily I was just making it for Sunday dinner dessert for my husband and children but I'd have been disappointed if I were making it for a dinner party. Any tips anyone - where did I go wrong? Despite all this, the tart was really scrummy - my daughter said it was her second favourite after my banoffee pie which is really saying something!

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  • Binder photo T0xicCandy

    19 February 2009

    T0xicCandy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Wow! Made this to finish off a lovely Valentine's supper and went down a treat! One of my favourite desserts anyway and this recipe filled my every expectation. You don't need to line the flan tin with greaseproof paper though. I lined the baking tray underneath the flan tin although didn't really see why it was necessary. Block of dessert pastries - I just used shortcrust pastry suitable for desserts too generally.

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  • Binder photo Samantha

    10 March 2009

    Samantha commented on this recipe

    To answer an earlier query, the greaseproof paper is only needed to line the baking tray if you are using a tart ring as they don't have a bottom like a fluted tart tin does. Dessert pastry is much sweeter than shortcrust as it is made with icing sugar in it, yummy for all fruit based tarts. I've made Gordon's other lemon tart on this site and like the brulee effect he does.

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  • Binder photo Dee

    16 March 2009

    Dee commented on this recipe

    I made this tart for the third time yesterday and once again it had a fantastic flavour but I'm still having problems with the pastry sticking to my loose bottomed flan tin hence when you try to get it out of the tin you lose all the pastry crust. Anyone got any ideas on how to solve this problem. I don't want to go out and buy a tart ring especially just for this recipe.

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  • Binder photo Jayne

    28 March 2009

    Jayne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Gorgeous, gorgeous recipe that looks and tastes divine. I used Organic Unwaxed Lemons which produced a great rich, tart flavour that is complimented by lovely biscuity pastry. Highly recommemded.

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  • Binder photo Elizabeth

    02 April 2009

    Elizabeth commented on this recipe

    I made this tart but I had problems. I used the 5 lemons - but they were largish ones so I may have had too much juice but my lemon filling did not set in my pastry case. Even after it had been in the fridge overnight the filling still ran out when a slice was cut. I did end up cooking it for longer (over an hour), hoping it would set some more. It was also very tart and a bit too tang for some.

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 10 slices

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 30 mins

Cook time

Cook 1 hr 15 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 5 unwaxed lemons
  • 6 eggs
  • 250g golden caster sugar
  • 200ml double cream
  • icing sugar , for dusting and decorating
  • 375g block dessert pastry

FOR THE SUMMER BERRY SALAD

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Per serving

490 kcalories, protein 8g, carbohydrate 58g, fat 27 g, saturated fat 11g, fibre 2g, sugar 44g, salt 0.35 g

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