Introduction
This recipe looks intimidating, but is surprisingly accessible because it is broken up into distinct parts. There are three main parts to this recipe: making the lemon curd, making the sweet tart dough, and assembly. If you are a reasonably skilled baker you can multitask and work on the components in parallel to reduce the total time. However, if you’re still learning, I’d recommend doing the parts in series. This recipe can be done with regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons, but the Meyer lemons really made the taste pop (more than we thought they would). Use Meyer lemons if you can. Lastly, it’s worth noting that the tart tastes much better after completely chilling it. It can take several hours to chill through, but the wait is worth it.
Recipe Outline
| Recipe: Meyer Lemon Tart | Special Equipment: 9 Inch Removable-Bottom Tart Pan |
| Source: Dessert Person | Time: 6 hours |
| Author: Claire Saffitz | Difficulty: 3/5 |
| Type: Dessert (Baking) | Score: ★★★★☆ |
Making The Lemon Curd
Tip 1: Note that Meyer lemons are smaller than regular lemons and as a result you may need about 10 Meyer lemons compared to the 6 lemons needed for the regular version.
Tip 2: It will be very clear when the curd is done cooking. Starting around 160° curd will noticeably thicken. Don’t stop whisking.
Making The Dough
Creating The Pie Crust
Tip: Save all of your extra dough. You’ll need it for patching! Consider making a bit extra of the recipe just in case if you trust your ability to get ratios right. If it’s your first time making sweet tart dough, then consider making two pie crusts. Our first (pictured above) didn’t turn out well and we started over.
Parbaking The Pie Crust
Tip 1: After baking don’t forget to patch the holes, including any larger holes from docking.
Tip 2: Be very careful when removing the foil. The pie crust is extremely fragile!
Assembling The Components
Tip: The jam layer may look thin prior to baking; but it will come out properly. That being said, if you like a thick jam layer then consider doubling the amount of jam (or increasing it by 50%).
Baking The Pie
Tip 1: After cooling completely, remove the pie ring by placing a sturdy object below the tart pan and setting the tart pan down atop it gently.
Tip 2: Let the pie chill for a few hours before serving. It tastes notably better when chilled completely and helps balance out the Meyer lemons.
Final Product
Key Takeaways
- Don’t be afraid to redo the curd of pie crust if necessary.
- Don’t worry, the curd will thicken. Use a thermometer and go by the indicators – not the listed time.
- Claire’s instructions for the sweet tart dough are particularly well-written.
- Final Score: 4/5 – The pie looked stunning and tasted delicious. The recipe’s modular nature made it very forgiving as each component could be redone if necessary without destroying the entire pie.
JoeSoltzberg.com 