I love the chocolate, but even I was a wee bit tired of all that chocolate over the last few Tuesdays With Dorie…so what do I do? Find the entirely opposite end of the palate spectrum and pick this tart.
And frankly, My TWD friends? I loved it. (I even changed the header picture to celebrate the lemony side of life.)
That is not to say I did this without a bit of problem…No, because then it wouldn’t be me baking, right? I am the imperfect baker, as I keep insisting. Trouble is…baking is an exact science.
Case in point: Because this is “my” recipe (my turn), I thought I should really be methodical and early…Get the tart done SATURDAY. Blog Sunday. File and wait for it to post Tuesday. Hmm. Yes, but …well, I don’t know where I went wrong, but I couldn’t have fouled up tart #1 more…first I grabbed the 1/3 cup measure, not the 1/4 cup measure. How? I don’t know. No one but an idiot would confuse that diminutive 1/4 cup measure with the monstrous 1/3 cup measure. As a result, my dough had 1/3 cup nuts. 1 1/3 cup flour. (Oh, forgot to mention: the only thing in the cupboard was bread flour. Sigh.)…2/3 cup powdered sugar. Need I say that one yolk wasn’t enough to hold it together? How did I detect this? Oh, maybe when the whole food processor full of everything still looked like …powder? Not a clump in sight. I added a bit of water, decided to try to go ahead…and promptly forgot Dorie’s admonition to NOT PACK THIS INTO THE TART RING. Oh, it was SO packed. Forge ahead STILL. Bake it. Forgot to set timer. Overbaked. Forge ahead. Make filling: What? No cream you say? Add vanilla yogurt and ? That’s right, FORGE AHEAD. I had to bake this tart so LONG for it to set up. It is very …um…”golden.” And tasty, really it is, but …well, frankly, it’s tough. But tasty. Here’s a photo…it’s “darkish.” A new word for…well, a new word for almost burnt.
Who shouted “No surprise!” at their screen?
So. Shopped. Got regular flour. Got cream. Paid attention. Actually remembered to gently push crumbly shortbread crust into fluted edges instead of packing it into the tart ring like spackle. Set all timers.
And I love this. Lives up to every expectation. The comments did mention bitterness, so I did trim the pith a bit. I picked this because I love a Shaker Lemon Pie that uses whole slices of lemon. This is better, Dorie. So much better.
I really wish I’d had time to do a bruleed top, …next time. This went too fast to even think about that step….
This one is another winner for me, right after last week’s tiramisu cake. Hope you all really enjoy it.
Now go have a look at the blog roll on Tuesdays With Dorie and see how everyone else fared.
Want this recipe and ALL our TWD Recipes? Better get yourself Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.
I think we have permission, as the picker of the week, to post the recipe, so here it is. I’m kind of a stickler with permissions, so if I hear differently, I’ll take this down (I know other pickers have posted…)
Dorie Greenspan’s Tartest Lemon Tart
1 1/2 lemons, scrubbed and dried
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 lare egg yolks, room temp
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 9-inch tart shell made with Dorie’s Sweet Tart Dough with Nuts (p. 444 of Baking from My Home to Yours), partially baked and cooled
Whipped cream, creme fraiche or confectioners’ sugar for garnish
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place tart pan on baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat.
Slice whole lemon in half and pull out seeds from it and the half. Then cut lemons into small pieces.
Filling is best made in a blender, but you can use a food processor. Take care to work ingredients until they are smooth and to scrape down sides of bowl often. Put lemons and sugar in blender or processor and pulse, blend and scrape down sides until you have smooth mix. Add remaining filling ingredients and pulse and blend until filling is homogeneous. Rap bowl on counter several times to de-bubble filling as much as possible, and pour it into partially baked crust.
Very carefully–tart shell will be full–transfer baking sheet to oven. Bake 20 minutes, then increase oven temp to 350 degrees F and bake tart for an additional 25 to 30 minutes. (total time is 45 to 50 minutes). Don’t be alarmed when filling starts to bubble up. (It might even bubble over edge of tart–that’s okay.) When tart is properly baked, it shuld be set, although perhaps still shaky in center, and most of top will have formed a light sugary crust.
Transfer tart pan to cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Chill, if you’d like, before serving with cream or dusting of confectioners’ sugar.
I’m sorry about your issues with your first tart! Both look fabulous anyway 🙂 Thank you for choosing this! I had a little bit of bitterness in mine, but I still really enjoyed it. My mother in law couldn’t stop raving about it 🙂
Great tart Babette, and a great choice – I loved this! Mine was a bit brown on the edges too – but still good.
Great tart Babette, and a great choice – I loved this! Mine was a bit brown on the edges too – but still good.
Ciao Babette ! I loved your choice, thank you very much for choosing it !!
Ciao Babette ! I loved your choice, thank you very much for choosing it !!
I’ll have to try a Shaker Pie – that sounds so good.
Great choice, Babette – even though mine totally flopped, it won’t deter me from trying again!
Your choice thrilled me. It is so very good – and I love shaker lemon pie too.
Oh, Babette, I LOVED this post. Sounds like me in the kitchen! Packing the tart ring like spackle: guilty!! Your first tart looks good, but oh, that second one is divine. Thanks for the great pick; my tasters were in heaven.
Nancy
Oh, Babette, I LOVED this post. Sounds like me in the kitchen! Packing the tart ring like spackle: guilty!! Your first tart looks good, but oh, that second one is divine. Thanks for the great pick; my tasters were in heaven.
Nancy
Hehehehe. Glad to hear I’m not the only one who has the minor disaster from time to time. I love lemon as well. Thanks for picking such a winner!
Thanks for this pick.
Thanks for this pick.
Great pick Babette – I loved the tart!
question – are you going to post the recipe, as you chose this week’s recipe? I thought the chooser always posted the recipe .. just want to know if you’re planning on it before I write on my post to visit yours for the recipe. 🙂 thanks!
Great pick Babette – I loved the tart!
question – are you going to post the recipe, as you chose this week’s recipe? I thought the chooser always posted the recipe .. just want to know if you’re planning on it before I write on my post to visit yours for the recipe. 🙂 thanks!
Forge ahead, Babette! What a Woman?!? Me, I would have halted the pressess and made a trek to the store. You are a brave baker. I love it! Its fun to learn new tricks with substitutions. Your beautiful tart is amazing and I love that you included the whole story. Too cute. I am so excited about this tart because I LOVE/HEART LEMON. Mine is coming later today. hehe Thanks so much for choosing the Tartest Tart.
AmyRuth
Forge ahead, Babette! What a Woman?!? Me, I would have halted the pressess and made a trek to the store. You are a brave baker. I love it! Its fun to learn new tricks with substitutions. Your beautiful tart is amazing and I love that you included the whole story. Too cute. I am so excited about this tart because I LOVE/HEART LEMON. Mine is coming later today. hehe Thanks so much for choosing the Tartest Tart.
AmyRuth
Babette you made a great pick this week. We absolutely loved this one and you are right, chocolate sometimes gets tiring. Kudos to you for making it more than once!!
Babette you made a great pick this week. We absolutely loved this one and you are right, chocolate sometimes gets tiring. Kudos to you for making it more than once!!
Yes–THANK YOU. I loved this tart. Your post was so funny. I do things like that all the time. (Like when I tried the chipster-topped brownies over the weekend for TWD in two weeks…ahem.)
Yes–THANK YOU. I loved this tart. Your post was so funny. I do things like that all the time. (Like when I tried the chipster-topped brownies over the weekend for TWD in two weeks…ahem.)
Excellent choice, Babette. Thank you! I enjoyed this recipe very much.
Excellent choice, Babette. Thank you! I enjoyed this recipe very much.
Babette,
I really, really love this recipe. Great pick.
Oh, and I had a cooking day that went similar to your first try, sometimes it just seems that Murphy’s Law prevails! I’m glad you gave it a second try, it really was worth it.
Babette,
I really, really love this recipe. Great pick.
Oh, and I had a cooking day that went similar to your first try, sometimes it just seems that Murphy’s Law prevails! I’m glad you gave it a second try, it really was worth it.
this was a great pick–so lemony and tasty! glad you gave it a second try–looks delish!
this was a great pick–so lemony and tasty! glad you gave it a second try–looks delish!
Thank you very much Babette for such a nice pick this week!
I enjoyed very much its simplicity and my family raved about the results!
Yours looks fabulous too, hope you had as much success with it that I did! Thanks again…
Thank you very much Babette for such a nice pick this week!
I enjoyed very much its simplicity and my family raved about the results!
Yours looks fabulous too, hope you had as much success with it that I did! Thanks again…
merci beaucoup Babette pour le choix de cette recette. C’était nouveau pour moi d’utiliser des citrons entiers mais c’est une réussite sur toute la ligne, tant au niveau du goût que de la texture de cette tarte !
merci beaucoup Babette pour le choix de cette recette. C’était nouveau pour moi d’utiliser des citrons entiers mais c’est une réussite sur toute la ligne, tant au niveau du goût que de la texture de cette tarte !
Oh my goodness this made me laugh – but with you. 🙂 You read my blog so you know my tart shell disaster.
Thanks for choosing this tart – I really really loved it and I don’t think I ever would have paused on the page otherwise!
Oh my goodness this made me laugh – but with you. 🙂 You read my blog so you know my tart shell disaster.
Thanks for choosing this tart – I really really loved it and I don’t think I ever would have paused on the page otherwise!
Thank you for a surprisingly (to me for some reason) recipe this week! I really enjoyed it!
Thank you for a surprisingly (to me for some reason) recipe this week! I really enjoyed it!
Good for you for forging through! Your tart looks great! Thanks for a great choice!
Good for you for forging through! Your tart looks great! Thanks for a great choice!
Great choice! I’m glad you tried again!
Thank you Babette for choosing the Tartest Lemon Tart – it was soo yummy! Yours looks really beautiful – so professional!
Thank you Babette for choosing the Tartest Lemon Tart – it was soo yummy! Yours looks really beautiful – so professional!
Great choice–I really love lemon deserts! How wonderful that you made it early so that you had time to recreate to perfection! I really loved your post!
Great choice–I really love lemon deserts! How wonderful that you made it early so that you had time to recreate to perfection! I really loved your post!
Whoooeee, is this lemony! =) The kids liked it so it wasn’t too tart, I guess. I think kids love sour stuff though.
Sorry about all your troubles, but it’s great your proceeded on. Mine took forever to set up, even after the big chill, it wasn’t all the way set. I’m still working on the crust thing too, sometimes it gets packed in there.
Whoooeee, is this lemony! =) The kids liked it so it wasn’t too tart, I guess. I think kids love sour stuff though.
Sorry about all your troubles, but it’s great your proceeded on. Mine took forever to set up, even after the big chill, it wasn’t all the way set. I’m still working on the crust thing too, sometimes it gets packed in there.
Too funny! I can relate too well 🙂
Thanks for the great pick!
Too funny! I can relate too well 🙂
Thanks for the great pick!
Your tart looks fantastic! Thanks for a luscious pick that I can not wait to dive into tonight!!
Your tart looks fantastic! Thanks for a luscious pick that I can not wait to dive into tonight!!
Thank you for picking this tart. It was delicious and a welcome break from the chocolate. Your tart looks great (even the slightly darker one).
Thank you for picking this tart. It was delicious and a welcome break from the chocolate. Your tart looks great (even the slightly darker one).
Great choice!! This was one of the easiest TWD recipes so far, in my opinion! I loved it!
-Amy
http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com
Great choice!! This was one of the easiest TWD recipes so far, in my opinion! I loved it!
-Amy
http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com
Forge ahead. I love it! And I’m always packing the dough too compactly into the pan, perhaps because it feels like the dough won’t stay together when the ring is removed. I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll remember to use a lighter touch. Great selection!
Forge ahead. I love it! And I’m always packing the dough too compactly into the pan, perhaps because it feels like the dough won’t stay together when the ring is removed. I don’t know. Maybe one day I’ll remember to use a lighter touch. Great selection!
Thanks for picking out this great recipe. I have enjoyed reading about everyone’s adventure making it. Seems like it’s a keeper.
FANTASTIC choice – replaces the other Dorie lemon pie as a favorite. I loved it!
Thank you so much for this great choice! I LOVE LOVE LOVED this one and it is an absolute keeper!!!!
Thank you so much for this great choice! I LOVE LOVE LOVED this one and it is an absolute keeper!!!!
Thanks for the fantastic pick Babette! Your tart looks wonderful even if it is “darkish”!
Thanks for the fantastic pick Babette! Your tart looks wonderful even if it is “darkish”!
Thank you for choosing this recipe — I was going to make it even if someone didn’t choose it! Another Shaker lemon pie lover here — and also Shaker lemon tart. Yummy yummy.
Thank you for choosing this recipe — I was going to make it even if someone didn’t choose it! Another Shaker lemon pie lover here — and also Shaker lemon tart. Yummy yummy.
Thanks for picking this recipe. It tasted wonderful! I’m going to make it again, but this time the full-size.
Thanks for picking this recipe. It tasted wonderful! I’m going to make it again, but this time the full-size.
I have had baking projects go just as wrong, forging ahead despite issue after issue, only to end up with something rather inedible. I am so glad you came back at it with all the right stuff and had a stellar result! The bitterness of the peel wasn’t my thing, but I can see how others would love this tart.
I have had baking projects go just as wrong, forging ahead despite issue after issue, only to end up with something rather inedible. I am so glad you came back at it with all the right stuff and had a stellar result! The bitterness of the peel wasn’t my thing, but I can see how others would love this tart.
Thanks for your choice, Babette! I have to say, it was kind of fun to see my boyfriend and his brother’s eyes pop out when they realized I was putting entire lemons in this tart.
And I’m glad that you were satisfied with your choice, two tries and all.
Thanks for your choice, Babette! I have to say, it was kind of fun to see my boyfriend and his brother’s eyes pop out when they realized I was putting entire lemons in this tart.
And I’m glad that you were satisfied with your choice, two tries and all.
You are so funny! I thought my running around the kitchen and cradling my eggs to get them to room temperature was a little off the beaten path. I like your baking journey better! Great pick, I would never have thought putting the whole lemon into a blender could possibly turn out well.
You are so funny! I thought my running around the kitchen and cradling my eggs to get them to room temperature was a little off the beaten path. I like your baking journey better! Great pick, I would never have thought putting the whole lemon into a blender could possibly turn out well.
Oh, and I forgot to mention… My first thought when I saw the top picture was “Gee, that looks like Pacman!” =)
Oh, and I forgot to mention… My first thought when I saw the top picture was “Gee, that looks like Pacman!” =)
This was a really wonderful pick this week, Babette! I’ll definitely be making this one again.
This was a really wonderful pick this week, Babette! I’ll definitely be making this one again.
Great pick – though I love chocolate, it was great to have something else thrown into the twd mix. It looks beautiful! (oh, and I’ve been wondering about the permission to post the recipe…glad you addressed it)
Great pick – though I love chocolate, it was great to have something else thrown into the twd mix. It looks beautiful! (oh, and I’ve been wondering about the permission to post the recipe…glad you addressed it)
Your description is my weekly baking experience to a T. I even forgot the butter on the counter this week! This was a great simple lemon tart. Good choice.
Very, very funny post. You should get a gold medal not just for making a beautiful tart, but for making it TWICE! So glad that after all that effort you loved it.
I love lemon deserts. Thank you very much for choosing it, great choice!
I love lemon deserts. Thank you very much for choosing it, great choice!
Kudos to you for, 1, choosing a NON chocolate dessert. Hey, I love me some chocolate, but being pregnant… a girls' gotta have some limits. And 2, for making this twice! Your post was very entertaining and sounds like most of my baking adventures! Ha! Great choice even though I thought mine was too bitter. Hmmmm should have read the Q&A before. Great job!
Kudos to you for, 1, choosing a NON chocolate dessert. Hey, I love me some chocolate, but being pregnant… a girls' gotta have some limits. And 2, for making this twice! Your post was very entertaining and sounds like most of my baking adventures! Ha! Great choice even though I thought mine was too bitter. Hmmmm should have read the Q&A before. Great job!
Tenacity! Plus the old “if at first you don’t succeed” adage. Be kind to yourself — I can say with great certainty you’re not the first to make such a mistake with the measuring cups. Nope, not at all!
Thanks for such a great pick. Your looks great!
Tenacity! Plus the old “if at first you don’t succeed” adage. Be kind to yourself — I can say with great certainty you’re not the first to make such a mistake with the measuring cups. Nope, not at all!
Thanks for such a great pick. Your looks great!
I like the new header, so bright and sunny! I’ve had plenty of darkish desserts myself, but you tell the story so well. I had fun making this tart and it was enjoyed by my tasters.
I like the new header, so bright and sunny! I’ve had plenty of darkish desserts myself, but you tell the story so well. I had fun making this tart and it was enjoyed by my tasters.
Thank you Babette, for stopping by my little blog for a visit. I am so excited to let you know I release my evening edition… he he . Thanks again for choosing this wonderful tart.
AmyRuth
Thank you Babette, for stopping by my little blog for a visit. I am so excited to let you know I release my evening edition… he he . Thanks again for choosing this wonderful tart.
AmyRuth
This was my first whole lemon dessert, and I LOVED it. Mine was just a slightest bit bitter, and I thought it was balanced perfectly by the sourness and sweetness. Thanks for a great pick!
By the way, if you’re curious about the permission to post thing, definitely email Laurie about it. My understanding is that Dorie is completely okay with the week’s host posting the recipe (otherwise I don’t think she’d comment on their post). In fact, I don’t think she even complained during the phase when we were all posting the recipe. Because she’s awesome.
This was my first whole lemon dessert, and I LOVED it. Mine was just a slightest bit bitter, and I thought it was balanced perfectly by the sourness and sweetness. Thanks for a great pick!
By the way, if you’re curious about the permission to post thing, definitely email Laurie about it. My understanding is that Dorie is completely okay with the week’s host posting the recipe (otherwise I don’t think she’d comment on their post). In fact, I don’t think she even complained during the phase when we were all posting the recipe. Because she’s awesome.
Love the title…because I am one that does not like chocolate, so I was so excited to get this pick on Mother’s Day weekend! Thank you! Lemon is my favorite! Thank you again! Your tart of interest looked interesting…your other tart looked spectacular! Great job, very fun post…always fun to hear the little mini dramas that go on in everyone’s kitchens over the weeks!
I didn’t actually make this tart — I delegated once again. But I did like it, so thank you very much for choosing it!
I didn’t actually make this tart — I delegated once again. But I did like it, so thank you very much for choosing it!
Great post Babette!! Thanks for your pick this week. My first tart wound up really bitter but I’m not giving up! I’ll be making this again soon (maybe tomorrow?) hopefully with better results 🙂
Great post Babette!! Thanks for your pick this week. My first tart wound up really bitter but I’m not giving up! I’ll be making this again soon (maybe tomorrow?) hopefully with better results 🙂
Thanks Babette for your selection. I think I packed a little too much dough in the ring, but it was still delicious. I used almond meal instead of the ground almonds. I made 3 smaller tarts and gave them as gifts. My friends were very happy. A lovely choice – I will make it again. Oh, I removed the pith and used 2 lemons.
Great pick. Loved it. Mine was darkish also. Love that word. Thanks for this one. Cause I love lemon and I love making tarts (and just made this one today) and… well, lots of ands.
Great pick. Loved it. Mine was darkish also. Love that word. Thanks for this one. Cause I love lemon and I love making tarts (and just made this one today) and… well, lots of ands.