In Good Company

The truth was, I’d spent the last six nights home alone. The first few were lovely; I got splendidly drunk next to the fireplace and read dirty novels well past midnight. When I grew tired of waking with a headache, I turned my attention to the stove. I made gougeres and beef stew, cinnamon muffins and marmalade-swirled brownies. I made rosemary olive oil, and I drizzled rosemary olive oil over fresh popcorn. I made a brown butter sauce and I made gnocchi. I fussed over a platter of apples, honey and sheeps’ milk cheeses. I was rather lonely, and I ate it all.

—

Now, I looked up from the lemon tart I was slicing.

“I wish I had friends,” I said plainly, as I stuck the knife into the center of the pastry and patiently cut it into 8 pieces.

“Oh,” my mother pursed her lips and furrowed her brow a bit. “Oh,” she repeated. She looked worried.

“It’s okay,” I said quickly. “I have ‘tarte au citron.’”

—

Velvety Tarte Au Citron
Recipe adapted from Sheila Lukins

  • 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 3/4 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 2/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, strained
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 large egg yolks

Place the butter in a food processor and pulse until creamy; a few seconds will do. Add 1/4 cup sugar and pulse for 20 seconds more. Mixture should be creamy and light. Scrape the sides of the machine and process once more if granules have attached themselves to the bowl.

Add vanilla.

Add flour and salt, then process, just until the mixture forms a dough and starts to cling together.

Flour your hands and transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan. (If you don’t have a tart pan, a regular old pie pan will do just fine.) Press down gently, molding dough to fit entire bottom and sides of pan. Clean up the edges with a knife if any lags over.

Place dough in freezer for at least a half-hour and up to an overnight.

Preheat overn to 375. Bake dough for 25 minutes or so – until golden but not at all burnt at the edges.

Remove from oven, but leave the temperature at 375. If tart has puffed too much, use the bottom of a heavy, smooth drinking glass to press down on the center circle of the pastry.

Whisk 1/2 cup sugar and strained lemon juice together in a saucepan. Slowly, whisking constantly, mix in heavy cream, then eggs and egg yolks.

Place pan over medium flame and whisk, again, constantly – until the mixture is thick and creamy; at least 5 minutes.

Strain the lemon cream into a bowl, pressing down on sieve. Pour strained cream into pre-baked shell, and place in oven.

Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon zest and extra sugar. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

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