French Lemon Tart

Make the Pâte Sucrée

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, icing sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then pulse to combine. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing just until the dough comes together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Line the Tart Tin

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick. Carefully lift and drape over a 23cm fluted tart tin with a removable base.

Press the pastry gently into the edges and up the sides. Trim the excess, leaving a slight overhang. Prick the base all over with a fork.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes — this prevents shrinkage during baking.

Blind Bake

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan).

Line the chilled pastry shell with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or dried pulses.

Bake for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and beans. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the pastry is golden and fully baked.

Trim any excess pastry from the edges while still warm. Let cool completely.

Make the Lemon Curd

Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (130°C fan).

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until well combined. Add the lemon juice and zest.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon — about 8-10 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Remove from heat and add the cold butter, a few pieces at a time, stirring until melted and incorporated.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug, pressing to extract all the curd.

Fill and Bake

Place the cooled tart shell on a baking sheet. Pour the warm lemon curd directly into the shell.

Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the filling is just set but still has a slight wobble in the centre.

Remove and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully set.

Serve

Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Carefully remove from the tin and place on a serving plate.

Serve as is for a classic presentation, or finish with a thin layer of brûléed sugar, fresh raspberries, or a dollop of crème fraîche.