Joy continues to explore delicious Asian flavours you can create on a budget.
I’m quite the noob with baking, but I have this super-easy lemon tart recipe that I always do for parties and it is always a hit. I have Asian-ised this failproof tart by adding kaffir lime leaves, which gives it that Asian lemony, tangy twist that is unique to the kaffir leaf. If there is one baked dessert item I dare put on a table, this is it. It is also extremely affordable, considering lemons are in abundance at this time of year and are ripening in the garden!
Ingredients
- 1 roll of store-bought pie pastry
- 5 large kaffir lime leaves sliced finely
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh cream
- 4 large eggs
- 180gm unsalted butter
Instructions
Start by buttering your pie pan and rolling out your standard store-bought pie pastry onto your dish. I usually opt for a 26–27 cm pie pan for this recipe. Using a fork, prick some holes on the base of the pie to pierce the pastry.
Next, pour in rice grains to weigh down the pastry. This goes into the oven as per instructions on the packaging. I bake at 180 degrees for around 15 minutes before I pour out the rice to allow the bottom portion of the pie to bake for another 15 minutes or so.
Once the pie case has been browned, set it aside.
In a saucepan, bring together butter, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cream and kaffir lime leaves. On very low heat, combine ingredients using a whisk until the concoction thickens. The consistency and thickness of your curd should be decided by you. I’ve made a thicker version, meaning whisking and cooking for longer, and a thinner version, which really just means less time on the stove. In general, the curd should not be super thin, or it will not set – ideally, it should at least coat a spoon.
Press the curd through a strainer so that all the kaffir leaves can be discarded and you have a smooth pie filling. You can also skip this step, which I sometimes do when I’m pressed for time.
This curd goes into the pie case you made earlier. Put it back into the oven for another five to ten minutes, and allow it to cool down before refrigerating. Check it a couple of hours later to see if the lemon curd has set nicely. You can also make this pie a day ahead, and it will keep for three to four days in your fridge.
Great accompaniments
- Vanilla ice cream goes great with any dessert, lemon tart included
- Fresh mixed berries make for a fantastic contrast to this tart
- Creme fraîche adds a delightful decadent twist to your lemon tart
- Whipping cream – beat with a little bit of superfine sugar and serve to add that touch of sweetness
Joy Entry is a Malaysian home cook based in Lagos who is obsessed with the provocative, unapologetic flavours of South-East Asian cuisine
Instagram: @thatasianhomecook
