Karen Mintzias
-PASTRY-
1 c Unbleached all-purpose flour 8 tb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Confectioners’ sugar – cut into small pieces
1/2 tb Finely grated lemon peel 2 Egg yolks
1 pn Salt 1 ts Vanilla extract
FILLING
8 tb Unsalted butter 2 Lemons; juiced
– at room temperature 1/4 c Heavy cream
1/3 c Honey 1/2 c Superfine sugar
5 Egg yolks 1/2 c -Water
1 1/2 c Ground blanched almonds 1 Lemon; juiced
-FOR SERVING-
Confectioners’ sugar; sifted
To make the pastry, sift the flour and confectioners’ sugar into a large
cold bowl, stir in the grated lemon zest and salt, and add the butter.
Quickly and lightly rub the mixture together with your fingers until it
resembles coarse meal. Beat the egg yolks and vanilla together and stir
into the flour mixture. Pull the dough together into a ball with your
fingers, adding cold water only if necessary to make a soft dough. Tightly
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375 F.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to fit a 9- to 10-inch
tart pan with a removable bottom. To transfer the pastry, wrap it around
the rolling pin, lift above the pan, and unroll over the rim. With your
thumb and knuckle, gently press the pastry into the pan, then roll the
rolling pin over the rim to trim the edges. Line with aluminum foil and
bake 6 to 8 minutes or until just set. Set aside, and lower the oven
temperature to 325 F.
To make the filling, beat the butter and honey with an electric mixer or by
hand until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Then
stir in the almonds, the juice of 2 lemons (reserve the zest, removed in
thin strips), and the cream. Pour into the pastry shell and lightly smooth
the top with a spatula. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and
set.
Meanwhile, combine the superfine sugar, reserved lemon zest, and water in a
sugar pan or small heavy saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil, then simmer 6
minutes or until the syrup lightly coats the back of a metal spoon. Set
aside to cool slightly.
Add the remaining lemon juice to the barely warm syrup and strain,
reserving the zest. Pour the syrup over the warm pie, remove from the pan,
and liberally sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and the reserved zest.
Serve immediately.
Note: To make the pastry in the food processor, chill the processor bowl
and metal blade in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Working very quickly,
process the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and butter until the mixture
resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and pulse just to
mix. (It is unlikely that you will need to add water.) Wrap and
refrigerate.
Yields
12 servings