French Riviera Lemon Tart | Baking with Dorie

For some reasons, there is no lemon tart on my blog before this one. That surprises me. In retrospect, it is not the result from a lack of trying. Rather, it has been my lack of successes in getting the filling in the right consistency and to set properly.

With Dorie’s “magic trick” recipe, I score my first lemon tart. It comes with a crumbly, tender crust as well as a satiny smooth, shiny, and tangy filling to boot. The tart can be easily cut, despite its delicate appearance. I can’t be more pleased. In fact, I’ll call it a flawless, perfect-ten lemon tart.

I did not make the tartest lemon tart from Baking Chez Moi, don’t know why. But there is much more butter and heavy cream there than in the French Riviera lemon tart recipe. The Riviera tart is the creation of Dorie’s friend Rosa Jackson, who taught it in a class in Nice. Both the crust and the filling use olive oil since the tart comes from one of the richest olive-growing regions in France. The recipe is a keeper for sure.

One of the magic tricks is how the crust is made with just a fork and your fingers. The dough comes together when the olive oil and yolk are added to the mixture of flour, confectioners’ sugar and butter. Press the dough into the pan and then bake for only ten minutes in a 425°F oven. (No chilling is required.) It’s fast and it really works. Again it’s important to get the right-sized pan: 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. I don’t have a tart pan with fluted sides. So I resolve to use a 9-inch ring, which is harder to press against because the ring moves.

The second trick is another 10-minute work to make the filling. First, whisk in the sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice in a medium saucepan. Drop in the eggs and yolks. Then whisk constantly over medium heat, making sure the mixture never boils. When the mixture is thickening and has a layer of bubbles on top, remove the pan from heat. Add butter piece by piece until each is incorporated. Last, whisk in the olive oil. Pour the filling into the crust. Refrigerate the tart for at least an hour until the filling is set.

A great recipe makes everything looks so easy and effortless!