It's not quite summer, but I couldn't wait to make this Summer Berry Lemon Tart. It's not only a showstopper and delicious but easy to make as well. It's a lovely combination of a lemon scented cookie crust, lemon cream and plenty of sweet berries piled on top. I used a mix of raspberries, blackberries and cherries but it works well with any summer berry. The flavor is nice and light and subtly sweet. This Summer Berry Lemon Tart will make it in your dessert rotation for sure.
To be honest, making tart and pie dough always intimated me but don't be discouraged by making this tart dough. This was one of the first things I learned in culinary school and it remains one of my favorite things to make. Pate Sucree is a classic French tart recipe and is similar in method and taste to a cookie dough. It also rolls out like a dream. The trick is to properly chill the dough, twice in fact.
SUMMER BERRY LEMON TART
(makes one 9 inch tart)
INGREDIENTS
PATE SUCREE
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 egg yolk, room temp
zest of one lemon
LEMON CREAM
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup lemon curd, homemade or store bought
pinch of salt
FOR SERVING
2 pints berries
mint sprigs, for garnish
METHOD
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest and salt with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the flour and mix until a smooth dough is formed. Press the dough into a flat disc and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for about an hour. Remove the dough from the fridge and let it warm up slightly about 20-30 minutes. Spray a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll the dough gently over the tart pan. Press the dough firmly into the pan and along the sides. Trim the edge so it's even with the rim of the pan. Using the tines of a fork, pierce the bottom of the dough evenly all over. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, bake the tart shell for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack. While the tart shell is cooling, prepare the lemon cream. Whisk the heavy cream and salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the lemon curd and chill until ready to use. To assemble, remove the shell from the tart pan and place on a serving platter or cake stand. Pour the lemon cream into the shell and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the berries over the top and garnish with a few sprigs of mint. Chill until ready to serve.
TIPS
Save the scraps of the tart dough and roll out to make cookies.
Use your favorite seasonal berries or stone fruits.
Using store bought lemon curd is a great time saver and short cut.
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