Inspired by those many iterations of Bake Off, I decided to set myself a challenge to make a lemon tart in 2 1/2 hours. It was 9.30am on a Sunday morning, and I wanted to enjoy a piece while listening to my jazz colleagues on the 95bFM Jazz Show from 12-2pm (of which I am a rotating host). I did it! Thanks to guidance from Recipe Tin Eats. 

Tart pastry:

1 1/2 c flour

1/3 c icing sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp almond meal

1/4 tsp salt

100 g butter, softened, cut into cubes

1 egg


In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar, almond meal and salt. Rub in butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in egg with a rubber spatula until a dough comes together.

Wrap and chill in fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll dough out in between 2 sheets of baking paper to 32 cm round and 3 mm thick (to fit a 20 cm round tart tin). Roll pastry gently onto the rolling pin and then unroll over the tart tin. Carefully ease the pastry into the tin without stretching it.

Trim the excess dough by rolling the rolling pin over the top. Prick base a few times with a fork. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Start making the filling if you haven't already (see below).

Preheat oven to 180C. Cover the pastry shell with 2 sheets of baking paper and fill with baking beads or dry beans.

Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove beads and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.


Tart filling:

1/2 c lemon juice

1-2 Tbsp lemon zest

1/2 c sugar 

170 g butter

3 eggs

3 egg yolks


Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and melt over low to medium heat, whisking often. Increase heat a little to start thickening the mixture. Keep stirring until the curd is thick enough to hold its shape briefly when dolloped. This may take 5-10 minutes.

Sieve curd through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl.

After letting baked tart shell cool for 10 minutes, fill with the curd and bake for a further 5 minutes at 180C. It will still be a soft custard but will firm up after chilling in fridge.

Something soft and creamy goes well with a lemon tart, such as whipped cream, creme fraiche, mascarpone or yoghurt.