When life gives you lemons.. make a gin-spiked Lemon Tart!

This beautiful sunny Lemon Tart comes from our April edition of Ginned! magazine, created to perfectly compliment the Provencial botanicals in QVT Dry Gin Édition CGC and pay homage to its roots!

What is Lemon Tart?

Lemon tart or Tart au citron is a sweet pastry case filled with a creamy, lemon filling. This classic can be found in every French patisserie window, often piled with clouds of meringue, but we’ve taken a pared-back approach here to allow the beautiful citrus to shine. It’s quite impossible to take a bite of this sunny, zesty tart without breaking into a smile!

How do I make Lemon Tart?

Some tarts require baking in the oven, but this one requires a quick and easy custard cooked on the stove meaning you can then leave the tart to chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. The homemade pastry is an extra step, but there’s quite soothing about taking the time to rub the butter through the flour and bring the pastry together - you can just as easily use ready-rolled shortcrust pastry to save on time.

Whether a spring Sunday baking project or a quick make-ahead dessert, this is just the thing to celebrate the end of winter and a return to brighter, sunnier days!

1. First, make the pastry. Add the cold butter, icing sugar and flour to a mixing bowl and rub together until it becomes the texture of sandy pebbles. You can also do this quickly by pulsing in a food processor.
2. Mix in the finely chopped rosemary, then whisk together 2 egg yolks and water.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and use a knife to quickly mix it together. Add a little more egg to the dry areas and use the flat side of the knife to bring the pastry together until there are no more dry bits at the bottom. Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap it up in cling film, then leave in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.
4. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to an even 2-3mm thick, and use it to line a greased 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Use your knuckle to ensure the pastry is snug into the tin, then use the rolling pin over the top to trim any excess pastry hanging over the edges. Prick the bottom of the pastry and then put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C /180°C fan/gas mark 6.
5. Crumple up some baking parchment, then use it to line the tart tin. Fill with blind baking beans and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the beans and baking parchment and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden. If you have any egg yolk left, you can brush it inside and return the tart to the oven for a further minute – this creates a seal against the filling. Leave to cool.
7. Now, make the lemon filling. If you are using lavender, add it to the sugar in a heatproof bowl and rub together to release the oils. Add the eggs and yolks and whisk until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the gin, lemon juice and zest, then place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently heat, whisking until thick and glossy – when you drag the whisk through you should see the bottom of the saucepan for a moment.
8. Pour it into a large jug through a sieve to remove any bits, and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Add the butter a couple of cubes at a time, and either whisk or use a hand blender to combine. Taste the filling and add more gin to taste, then once the butter has been incorporated pour it into the pastry shell and leave to chill until completely cool. Serve with whipped cream.

First, make the pastry. Add the cold butter, icing sugar and flour to a mixing bowl and rub together until it becomes the texture of sandy pebbles. You can also do this quickly by pulsing in a food processor.

Mix in the finely chopped rosemary, then whisk together 2 egg yolks and water.

Add 2 tablespoons of the egg mixture and use a knife to quickly mix it together. Add a little more egg to the dry areas and use the flat side of the knife to bring the pastry together until there are no more dry bits at the bottom. Shape the dough into a flat disk and wrap it up in cling film, then leave in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.

Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to an even 2-3mm thick, and use it to line a greased 24cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Use your knuckle to ensure the pastry is snug into the tin, then use the rolling pin over the top to trim any excess pastry hanging over the edges. Prick the bottom of the pastry and then put it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C /180°C fan/gas mark 6.

Crumple up some baking parchment, then use it to line the tart tin. Fill with blind baking beans and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the beans and baking parchment and bake for a further 10 minutes until golden. If you have any egg yolk left, you can brush it inside and return the tart to the oven for a further minute – this creates a seal against the filling. Leave to cool.

Now, make the lemon filling. If you are using lavender, add it to the sugar in a heatproof bowl and rub together to release the oils. Add the eggs and yolks and whisk until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the gin, lemon juice and zest, then place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently heat, whisking until thick and glossy – when you drag the whisk through you should see the bottom of the saucepan for a moment.

Pour it into a large jug through a sieve to remove any bits, and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Add the butter a couple of cubes at a time, and either whisk or use a hand blender to combine. Taste the filling and add more gin to taste, then once the butter has been incorporated pour it into the pastry shell and leave to chill until completely cool. Serve with whipped cream.