Lemon Tart with Spelt flour

Sue Maree P -

My light and not too sweet lemon tart is made with a spelt flour shortcrust base and only four eggs. This lemon tart is the best lemon tart I have ever tasted. Have fun baking this lemon tart recipe at home and impress your friends and family with a fancy lemon tart that tastes like it is from a restaurant. If you don't have spelt flour, swap the spelt flour out for regular plain flour, then all you need is double cream, three lemons, three eggs, sugar and a sprinkle of icing sugar to serve.

Takes = pastry 10 minutes plus chilling 1 hour + 15 minutes
Bakes = pastry shell 10mins + 5 mins, tart 25 mins
Makes = 1 tart 8-10 serves

Spelt Shortcrust Pastry

  • Spelt flour (white or wholemeal) – 250g (about 2 cups)
  • Chilled cubed butter – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Egg Yolk – 1
  • Cold water – 20ml (1 - 2 tbsp)
  • Optional sugar for a sweet crust – 2-4 tbsp

Lemon Filling

  • Lemons – 3
  • Large eggs – 3
  • Caster sugar – 150g (3/4 cup)
  • Double cream – 125ml (1/2 cup)
  • Icing sugar to decorate – 1 tbsp (optional)

Pastry Method

Step 1
Pre-heat the oven 170°C (fan), Gas 5 and grease your 23cm (9 inch) tart or flan dish.

Step 2 Making the Pastry
ADD flour and butter into a large bowl and work together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add in the sugar and egg yolk and stir with a fork or wooden spoon until combined. Using your hands gather the mix together to form a smooth ball of pastry dough. Wrap in plastic or baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. If the dough is not too soft you can roll it immediately, however, chilling the dough relaxes the gluten in the dough and prevents the crust from shrinking too much in the oven. Rest for a few minutes before rolling the dough.

Step 3 Blind baking
Add flour to the bench or pastry mat and put your dough in the centre and sprinkle with a little flour on both sides. Add flour to your rolling pin, then roll our pastry to a circle about 5cm (2") larger than your tart dish. Using the rolling pin roll the pastry onto the pin and gently drop it into the tart tin. Gently press in and using the rolling pin, roll over the outside edge or cut away with a knife. Add fork pricks to the pastry. Prepare for blind baking. Cover with baking paper, then scatter baking beads (or raw beans, rice or sugar) over the paper so they are even. Pop the tart tin on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and beads then bake for another 5 minutes, be sure not to brown too much. Once lightly golden remove and allow the pastry shell to cool.

Step 4 Lemon Filling
Lower the oven to 130˚C, Gas 2. Slice a few fine strips of lemon zest, then squeeze the juice from 3 lemons. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl, add sugar and lemon juice, and whisk until combined. Add the cream and gently combine. Pour through a sieve into a jug. Then with the pastry case already on the tray on the oven shelf, slowly pour in the lemon filling.

Step 5
Bake for 25-28 minutes, until the filling is just set, it may look a little wobbly but this is fine, it will continue to set as the lemon tart cools. Once slightly cool, chill in the fridge for at least an hour. To serve scatter the lemon zest and dust with a veil of icing sugar.