Shelly's Recipe

MIXED BERRY TART WITH LEMON CURD FILLING

Category: Tarts

Dough
2 to 2 1/4 cups flour
14 tbsp unsalted butter, well-chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chilled heavy cream or half-and-half
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Lemon Filling
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup Lemon Curd (see recipe below)

4 cups mixed berries such as fresh raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

Have ready either 8 (4 3/4-inch) fluted tart pans or or 1 (10-inch) tart with removable bottoms.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, place all the dough ingredients and pulse until the dough starts gathering together in big clumps. If the dough is too soft, add more flour a tbsp at a time. Turn the dough out onto a counter and gather it together.

Shape the dough into an 8-inch log and divide it into eight equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll a piece of dough into a 5-inch round. Gently press the dough into a tart pan. Repeat with the remaining dough. Put the tarts on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400.

Cut out eight roughly 6-inch-square pieces of foil and spray one side lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Line each tart with a square of foil, oiled side down, making sure the top edge of the tart is covered. Place a handful of pie weights, raw rice or dried beans into each lined tart. Transfer the tarts (still on the baking sheet) to the oven and bake until the crust turns golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pans, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool the tarts on the baking sheet on a rack for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the lining and weights. Let cool completely on the baking sheet on the rack.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Add the lemon curd and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until combined. Divide the mixture among the pastry shells and smooth the filling with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Carefully remove the outer rings and bottoms of the tart pans and arrange the tarts on a large platter. Top each tart with a mixture of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and serve immediately.

NOTE: You can combine the lemon curd and whipped cream and hold the filling for about two hours in the fridge. The shells can be baked a day ahead (store the cooled shells in an airtight container); fill them shortly before serving. The baked shells also freeze well; thaw before filling. Serves: 8 (4-inch tarts) or 1 (10-inch) tart

Lemon Curd
3 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 large lemons)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Combine the sugar, lemon juice, butter and lemon zest in a small (1- to 2-quart) saucepan. Heat over medium-low until the butter has melted. Don't let the mixture come to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the lemon mixture into the beaten eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with the whisk, until the mixture thickens and reaches at least 160 degrees, about 5 minutes. Don't let the mixture boil.

Let the lemon curd cool briefly before transferring it to a heatproof container. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the curd and poke a few holes in it with the tip of a knife-this will keep a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely chilled. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

NOTE: The curd will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to a week.