Lemon Crème Brûlée Tart

Next time you need an elegant dessert for a crowd, try this recipe for two lemon crème brûlée tarts. It takes some time to prepare, but is well worth the trouble!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 407 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 cups milk
• 6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 medium lemons
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 10 large egg yolks
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 0.5 cup lemon juice
• 0.75 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Use floured hands to remove crust mixture and press into two 9-inch tart or pie pans, covering the bottoms and up the sides. Chill for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove crusts from the oven and line with foil and pie weights.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights and loosely cover the crust edges with foil. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for 15 more minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Step 4

While the crusts are cooling, prepare filling: Remove lemon zest in strips with from both lemons with a vegetable peeler. Set lemons aside for another use. Place zest in a medium saucepan with cream, milk, and vanilla paste; bring to a simmer, then turn off heat and cover.

Step 5

Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a 5-quart pot. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice together in a heat-proof bowl over the water until sugar has dissolved; make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Stir with a heat-resistant spatula until mixture is thick and pale yellow, with a consistency of heavy cream, about 8 minutes.

Step 6

Slowly stir in heavy cream-lemon zest mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickly coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read between 195 and 200 degrees F (91 to 93 degrees C).

Step 7

Dissolve gelatin in water in a small bowl. Stir gelatin mixture into the custard and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes. Strain custard through a fine sieve into a 2-quart measure. Pour into the cooled crusts and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

Step 8

When ready to serve, sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar over each tart to within 1 inch of the outer edges. Brûlée with a torch until sugar bubbles and is caramelized. Refrigerate, uncovered, until topping hardens, about 10 minutes, before serving.

Step 9

Pulse flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt for crust in a food processor to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Mix egg yolks and lemon juice together in a small bowl; pour in through the chute and process until dough forms into a ball.