Lemon tart: a recipe for cooking. How to cook French lemon and apple tart

France is world famous not only for its wines and cognac, it is also considered to be a culinary leader. And in the range of her gourmet interests are not only frog legs, truffles and onion soup. French pastries are respected by the sweet tooth of all countries. It was thanks to the southern French town of Menton began its victorious procession lemon tart. This province is known for its lemon gardens, and the city itself is a festival of lemons, during which citruses make sculptures and erect intricate buildings. Because the lemon is a very acid product, you can not just chew it. So it was invented a delicacy, which is baked now everywhere, although they are called differently, including "Pai".

Fineness of processing lemons

Not everyone knows that the temperature of these citrus fruits greatly affects the quality of the products obtained from them. So, if you decide to squeeze juice out of lemons, you should get them from the fridge in advance - and the drink will be more, and the smell will be more pronounced.

It's another matter if you need a zest. With chilled fruits, it is removed more subtly, without capturing the white layer behind it. The particles of peel are the same in size, and she herself is more fragrant. So it's best to put the lemon in the refrigerator for an hour (only in no case freeze), and then remove the skin.

It would also be superfluous to recall that white fibers are bitter, they can spoil the taste of the dish. Therefore, peel the peel carefully and carefully.

What does the tart consist of?

To prepare the dough, you will need the following products: 200 g of flour; 3 large spoons of sugar; Half a teaspoon of salt; 100-120 g (depending on the fat content) of butter; Yolk and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Basically, the lemon tart has a short pastry. Flour, salt and sugar are mixed, finely chopped, pre-cooled butter is added. Mix all the ingredients necessary to the state of small crumbs. Having achieved the necessary consistency, an egg yolk with lemon juice is introduced into the future delicacy. Naturally, the juice should be freshly squeezed, not concentrated, purchased. This lemon tart will not suffer such abuse.

Stir all the ingredients until a homogeneous mass is formed, without lumps and inclusions. If it seems dryish - add a drop of juice, constantly interfering. When the result satisfies you, take a high shape, brush it and put the dough on the bottom, setting up the sides. It is advisable to avoid faults and cracks! In principle, it's not difficult - the dough is soft, but if it starts to break, then there is still a little juice.

The form is covered with foil (or parchment), on which the load is placed. According to the rules - special balls, but they are easily replaced with a layer of peas or beans, the main thing is to be poured evenly. Lemon tart should not go up during baking, which lasts 15-20 minutes.

Roasting of the substrate

The oven is heated to 220 degrees, and the future dessert is placed there for a quarter of an hour straight with foil and oppression. Mistresses who dealt with the sand test, they know that based on the recipe, you can build a lot of all goodies. And in some cases, no preliminary baking is required. For example, if the filling is from fruit, dessert can be sent to the oven with them. But traditionally the lemon tart is filled with rather liquid contents, so it's still necessary to bake the base.

When 15 minutes have elapsed, the foil (parchment) with the load is removed, and the mold is returned to the oven for another five minutes to brown the dough.

Traditional stuffing

French lemon tart means the use of this citrus not only for the test, but also for the filling. Three quarters of a glass of sugar is beaten with three eggs until white foam forms. 100 g of high-quality butter slowly, constantly mixing, melt (however, you can use a microwave oven) and together with half a glass of the same lemon juice pour into eggs with sugar. Everything is mixed very carefully. When it was possible to achieve perfection, the received mass is added with grated zest.

The mixture is gently poured into a mold, which is again placed in the oven for a quarter of an hour. The filling turns into a tender meringue with lemon scent and taste.

Pure French cream

Naturally, the described way to fill a delicacy is far from the only one. Not less popular tart with lemon cream. The base remains the same, but the stuffing will have to poke around longer.

First of all, you need a water bath. Lemon juice, eggs and sugar are combined in a bowl and stir all the time while the bath "works", otherwise the eggs will curdle, and have to start anew. When the contents of the saucepan become thick, the container is removed, and the mixture is filtered (in case of lumps) through a strainer. In the hot mass is put butter; Stir until it dissolves. It remains to add the zest, pour the cream into the base and cover with foil, film or parchment for the time of cooling, so that the crust does not appear.

Tart Taten: with apples is also delicious

Not less popular in France and in other countries is apple tart. It is notable for the fact that it also includes caramel. However, because of this, it is more difficult to prepare.

Preparation of apples of labor is not: clean, cut out the middle, cut, sprinkle with lemon juice - and on the sidelines. Caramel requires attention. Sugar (100 g) is poured into a small bowl or saucepan and, with constant stirring, melts to the color you like. Do not overdo it! Burnt caramel is good only in the trash can. In the bowl removed from the fire, juice of half a lemon is squeezed out, everything is stirred and poured into a mold in which apple tart will be baked. To make it easier to remove it later, the bottom should be covered with parchment. In caramel, apples are stuck vertically and sprinkled with sugar (ideally brown). If desired, you can also sprinkle cinnamon. Butter, cut into pieces, is laid out between pieces of fruit.

Tart "upside down"

This version of the favorite French delicacy is also interesting because it is done the opposite way. That is, the dough is not the bottom of the mold, but the top. When the filling is prepared, all the same short dough is put on the mold and tucked under the apples. The apple tart will be burned for half an hour or slightly more.

There remains the most important stage: to take out the ready dish. This is done gradually: first the form cools down 5 minutes in the form in which it was taken. Then it is covered with a large dish, turns over and stands so for 5 more minutes. And only after these manipulations the form is neatly removed.

They say that every housewife brews borscht in her own way. Note: not only borsch, but apple tart. The recipe can include caramelizing apples; The dough can be prepared a little differently - someone applies grandmother's secrets or Mom's of cunning. One thing remains unchangeable: he always cares "upside down."

Pleasant addition

In the French, this dessert excess is called meringues. We are more accustomed to the word "meringue", which, by the way, also came from France. So, offer hostesses a recipe for a culinary masterpiece called "Lemon Tart with Merengue".

Its preparation to a certain point is no different from a lemon with lemon cream. When the product is baked, it is set aside to cool down, and at this time the finishing touch is prepared. First, on a small fire, the sugar is dissolved in water. Its amount depends on the number of eggs: for each protein goes 50 g. You can take more, then the foam will get denser, but the meringues themselves will be cloying.

Eggs should be warm - so they beat up more magnificently. Proteins are separated from yolks. Beat should be long and carefully. When the mass becomes air, a syrup flows into it with a thin stream; Whipping is continued. You can stop it only when the proteins cool.

The received meringues are laid out on the cooled lemon tart as artistically as possible: by individual turrets, smooth curves, spirals. Decorated in this way, the dessert is put in the oven. When the meringue becomes a pleasant creamy color, the tart is ready.

And now choose the recipe for your own liking and boldly embark on the creation.