Meyer Lemon Tart Recipe

This is the classic lemon tart served at the San Ysidro Ranch’s Stonehouse restaurant in Montecito. Chef Matt Johnson uses the lemons from the property’s lemon trees, part of a lemon grove that was planted in the 1800s, and also miraculously survived the 2018 Montecito mudslide. Read the whole story here.

Meyer Lemon Tart Recipe

This Meyer Lemon Tart has always been a favorite, and the surviving lemon trees are the star of the show. A cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, the Meyer lemons on the ranch supply all the lemons used at the resort, and are juiced by hand to make the sweetest lemon curd Johnson has ever had.

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Ingredients

  

• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Cups flour
• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 Cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 Cup butter cold

Instructions

 

For the crust:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk 1 egg, pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk together 2 cups flour and 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until combined, then cut in half cup cold diced butter until crumbly in texture. Mix with paddle attachment of stand mixer until there are no large lumps, and mixture becomes a little more yellow.
• Lastly add egg mixture. Mix until it starts to come together and finish by hand until completely smooth. Wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
• Either roll out or press dough into 9-inch tart pan or smaller tart pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

For the lemon curd filling:

• In stainless steel bowl combine 3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice, 3 eggs, 1 egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Place over double boiler and whisk constantly until thickened and 180F.
• Remove and strain through mesh strainer. Cool to140F. Add 1/8 cup cold diced butter and blend with hand blender. Pour lemon filling into crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees until filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

For the orange blossom honey cream:

• Whisk together 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of orange blossom honey and a pinch of salt until medium soft peaks form. Add more honey if desired.
• Top tart with honey cream, fresh blackberries and meringue if desired.