Everything about this recipe says SPRING! Maybe it's the extra hour of daylight (although technically I slept in so it works out to be the same...), or all the juicing I've been doing lately, but I'm in the mood for lighter, fresher recipes. I'm tempted by pretty much anything that involves pastry, and since it's citrus season (not here, obviously, but imported from warmer climates) I think it's a worthy place to start my spring baking.
Image and recipe from Sweet Paul Magazine's spring issue
Dough:
1 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 sticks salted butter, cold and in pieces
1 egg
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
Filling:
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 stick salted butter, cold and in pieces
candied lemon, optional
1. Place almond meal, flour, and sugar in a bowl and mix. 2. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers. The result should be grainy. 3. Add egg and lemon zest and quickly work the dough together. If it seems dry, just add a few tablespoons of ice water. 4. Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. 5. After an hour, preheat the oven to 375 F. 6. Take out the dough and roll it out to a thin crust. 7. Place in a greased pie tin. 8. Use a fork to prick the bottom. 9. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden. 10. Cool on a wire rack. 11. Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. 12. Place over a hot water bath and add zest, lemon juice, and butter. 13. Beat mixture until it becomes thick and creamy. 14. Pour into the pie crust and cool until servinv.
Decorate with candied lemons.
