Strawberry-Lemon Tart with a Pistachio Shell
Yields 1 tart
Pistachio Tart Shell
Ingredients
100 grams (3.5 ounces) pistachios
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1-1.5 tablespoons ice water
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Directions
Blitz the pistachios in a blender or food processor until very fine.
Add the pistachios, flour, sugar and salt to the food processor and blitz until well combined.
Add the butter and blitz for 5-10 seconds until the mixture is like large breadcrumbs. Slowly
drizzle in the water while the processor is running on low and stop as soon as it starts
forming large clumps.
Tip the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and turn it into a flat disk.
Refrigerate for a half hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Dust a large sheet of parchment paper with flour and sit the dough on top. Dust the top of
the dough with flour, and then roll it out to a large circle about 3 mm thick. Place dough in
tart tin and gently nudge the pastry down into the corners.
Prick the base with a fork and line with parchment paper and baking weights.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Take away the parchment paper and weights, and brush the inside of the tart shell with
beaten egg white all over the base and sides. Bake for 10 more minutes.
Meanwhile start the lemon curd. (The dough will bake for 8 more minutes with the lemon
curd.)
Lemon Curd
Ingredients
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 lemon, zest
5-6 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks
Directions
Grab a fine mesh strainer before you start and have it ready within arm’s reach.
In a medium saucepan (no heat yet), whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, basil,
sugar, salt, egg yolks and eggs.
Add the cubed butter and turn the heat to medium.
Whisk slowly until the butter is all melted.
Continue whisking steadily for several minutes until the mixture thickens to a thin custard
consistency.
Immediately pass the lemon filling through the fine mesh strainer (to discard the basil
pieces) directly into the tart shell.
Using an offset spatula, smooth out the top of the filling.
Bake the tart for 8 minutes, until the filling has slightly set and turned slightly deeper in
color.
Set aside to cool.
Strawberry Mousse
Ingredients
500 grams fresh strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon powdered gelatine
1 cup heavy/whipping cream
Directions
Purée together the strawberries and sugar, and then strain into a saucepan to remove most
of the seeds.
Sprinkle the gelatine over the strawberry puree then stir over low heat until the gelatine has
dissolved. Let it cool to room temp.
Whip the cream to soft peaks. Mix 1/4 of the cream into the strawberry mix. Now gently
fold the rest of the whipped cream through the strawberry being gentle so you don’t lose all
the air you whipped into it.
Gently spread the mixture over the tart. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
Decorate with fresh strawberries, crushed pistachios and lemon zest.
