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Desserts: Lemon and Lime Tart

Source of Recipe

Williams Sonoma


List of Ingredients

SHELL:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 cup chilled shortening, cut up
2 tablespoons cold water

FILLING:
6 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
juice of 3 lemons
juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Recipe

If you like, use just lemon juice or lime juice, or even all orange juice. To make the tart shell, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt and lemon zest. Add the butter and shortening and, using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut them in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, 1 Tbs. at a time, mixing gently with a fork or your fingertips until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork the dough. Gather into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat an oven to 400ºF. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a round 12 inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Gently ease the pastry into the pan. Trim the pastry even with the pan rim. Line the pastry with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and foil and bake until firm and dry, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat together the eggs and sugar until light and lemon colored, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice, lime juice, cream and melted butter until fully incorporated. Pour into the tart shell. Bake until firm to the touch, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, about 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. Serves 8.