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| Zesty Lemon Tart |
This sounds like a gourmet-fancy dessert you would find only in France, but this is ultra easy with just 5 ingredients. You can top it with whipped cream, if desired. This is a dessert fit for dinner guests any time.
History of Tarts
Tarts
Food historians tell us tarts were introduced in Medieval times. Like pies, they could be savoury or sweet. Generally, the difference between a tart and a pie is the former does not contain a top crust. This made tarts a popular choice for cooks who wanted to present colorful dishes.
"The term 'tart' occurs in the 14th century recipe compilation the Forme of Cury [a cook book], and so does its diminutive 'tartlet'. The relevant recipes are for savour items containing meat. A mixture of savour and sweet was common in medieval dishes and typical of the elaborate, decorative tarts and pies which were served at banquets. There was, however, a perceptible trend towards sweet tarts. These usually contained egg custard and fruits of various kinds, which could be used to provide the brillant colours of which medieval cooks were fond: red, white, and pale green from fruits; strong green from spinach, which was used in sweet tarts; yellow from egg, with extra colour from saffron; and black from dark-coloured dried fruits. There are many 16th century recipes for coloured tartstuffs'."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 785)
"Tart...In America, the word tart tends to indicate a small individual open pastry case with a sweet, usually fruit filling. In Britian, this usage survives in the particular context of jam tarts, but on the whole tart refers to a larger version of this, with jam, fruit, or custard filling, that is cut into slices for serving, or to a similar fruit-filled pastry case with a crust--in other words, a fruit pie."
---An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 338)
Tour de France
The following is a very interesting history about the most famous of all French Tarts!
About Tart Tatin
Arguably, the most famous of all French tarts! Happy accident or stroke of genius? You decide...
"Tarte Tatin, an upside-down French apple tart. The Larousse Gastronomique explains that the name commemorates the Tatin sisters, who popularized it in their restaurant at Lamotte-Beuvron, to the south of Orleans, in the early 20th century. Later in the century, chefs devised variations, using pear, pineapple, or rhubarb, to give but three examples."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 785)
"Tatin. The name given to a tart of caramelized apples that is cooked under a lid of pastry and then inverted to be served with the pastry underneath and the fruit on top. This delicious tart, in which the taste of caramel is combined with the flavour of apples cooked in butter under a golden crispy pastry crust, established the reputation of the Tatin sisters, who ran a hotel-restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron at the beginning of the 20th century. However, the upside down' tart, made of apples or pears, is an ancient specialty of Sologne and is found throughout Orleanais. Having been made famous by the Tatin sisters, it was first served in Paris at Maxim's, where it remains a specialty to the present day."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Revised and Updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 1198)
[NOTE: The original Larousse Gastronomique (1938) contains information on apple tarts but does not make reference to Tarte Tatin.]
"...How these Tatin girls accidentally inventd the famous tart involves a small sally into French social history. The Solognes region is the paradise of French hunters, a wild, forested area along the upper reaches of the Loire River, near Joan of Arc's City of Orleans...The hunters come with dogs and guns to spread out along the forest roads that pass isolated villages where they stay in small hunting auberges. Most of these tiny inns are owned and run by women who are also superb game cooks... In one of the villages, Lamotte-Buevren, about 24 miles from Orleans, the Auberge Tatin has been owned by the Tatin family for almost 70 years. The most famous cooks in the family were the Tatin sisters Marie and Jeanne, who ran the auberge about 40 years ago. As well as their game specialties, they had a dessert that was quite popular with regular visitors. You might call it a kind of deep-dish one-crust fruit pie. They made it in a copper pan about 9 inches across and 3 inches deep. They neatly filled it with circles of fruit cut, covered it with a single pastry crust, put a lid and baked it by sliding it under the glowing wood embers in the huge hearth. When the crust was golden brown, they carried the pie in its pan to the table. One day, just as she stepped into the dining room, Marie Tatin dropped the pan. The pie stayed in the pan, but the crust cracked badly right across its center. In a flood of tears, Marie scooped up the pan from the floor and rushed it back to the kitchen. It obviously could not be served with the big crack. There was no time to bake another. What could be done? Jeanne had the brilliant idea that was to make them famous. Quickly she ran a knife around the edge of the crust and overturned the entire pie onto a serving platter with the cracked crust underneath. The fruit, now on top, looked very neat, but a bit pale. In a heavy iron skillet Jeanne quickly caramelized some butter and sugar, then dribbled the shiny golden syrup over the fruit. When Marie carried the newly invented upside-down tart into the dining room, it we recieved with acclamation. Within a few months, it was being copied all over the Sologne region. Within a few years, it was a favorite all over France. For the rest of their lives the Tatin sisters basked in the glory of their tart. Thousands of visitors came to their tiny auberge, not to hunt but just for the pleasure of meeting the sisters and looking at the circle painted on the floor to mark the spot where the tart fell. Yet the Tatin girls deeply resented all the imitation of their tart. They struggled for the rest of their lives to keep their recipe a secret. They never published it or even wrote it down, so an "authentic recipe" does not exist, only hundreds of different interpretations by other cooks."
---"One Great Dish," Roy Andres de Groot, Washington Post, October 14, 1979 (p. K1)
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| Denise & Sarah Eiffel Tower August, 2011 |
Ingredients:
- 1 sheet refrigerated 9"pie crust dough
- 1 lemon to make 2 tsp. lemon zest and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 eggs
- 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 jar lemon curd
- Optional, whipped cream or Cool Whip non-dairy whipped topping
(this recipe was modified from Woman's World magazine 11/15/12)
Printable version of Zesty Lemon Tart
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| Gather the ingredients. |
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| Unroll the refrigerator pie crust onto a floured surface. I am making individual tarts, but you can use a 9" pie pan and make 1 pie. If using individual tarts, cut out circles to fit pans 3-7/8 x 3/4 inches. One pie crust makes 6 individual tarts. |
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| Spray each tart pan with non-stick vegetable spray. |
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| To make the last two dough circles, pat the remaining dough into a ball and roll out with a rolling pin, then cut the remaining two crusts. |
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| Transfer the rolled-out pastry to the tart pans. |
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| Dock the pie crust. Docking the pie crust is when you poke little holes all over the bottom to keep steam that forms underneath the crust when it cooks from expanding the pie crust. The tines of a fork work well to prick the bottoms of the crust. |
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| Blind bake the pie crusts. Place a piece of parchment into each tart pan. This step is necessary for all types of blind baking. |
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| Add pie weights. Weights are needed at the beginning of baking to keep the pie crust from puffing up. Many cooks use dried beans or rice that they save as pie weights. This is less expensive than buying special pie weights. Fill the pie crusts up to the top with the weights. |
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| Bake 8 minutes at 450 degree preheated oven. |
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| Remove parchment paper and dried beans. |
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| Bake another 5 minutes or until lightly browned, remove from oven and reserve while filling is prepared. |
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| To make the filling, grate 2 tsp. lemon zest. |
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| Then, squeeze the lemon to make 1 Tbsp. juice. |
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| Add zest to mixing bowl. |
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| Add lemon juice. |
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| Crack 3 whole eggs into a bowl. |
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| Add to mixing bowl. |
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| Add 14-oz. can of sweetened condensed milk. |
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| Whisk ingredients until smooth and blended. |
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| Then mix in 1 jar lemon curd. Lemon curd is a thick, soft, velvety cream that has a wonderful tart, yet sweet citrus flavor. Traditionally, it was used as a spread for scones, but today it is used as a filling for tarts, pies, and cakes. |
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| Mixture will be smooth and creamy. |
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| Pour into tart pans. |
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| Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. |
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| The center will look set, but still jiggle very slightly when pan is gently shaken. Cool on rack. Refrigerate . |
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| Just before serving, remove from pan and garnish with Cool Whip. |
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| Enjoy! |
Food historians tell us tarts were introduced in Medieval times. Like pies, they could be savoury or sweet. Generally, the difference between a tart and a pie is the former does not contain a top crust. This made tarts a popular choice for cooks who wanted to present colorful dishes.
"The term 'tart' occurs in the 14th century recipe compilation the Forme of Cury [a cook book], and so does its diminutive 'tartlet'. The relevant recipes are for savour items containing meat. A mixture of savour and sweet was common in medieval dishes and typical of the elaborate, decorative tarts and pies which were served at banquets. There was, however, a perceptible trend towards sweet tarts. These usually contained egg custard and fruits of various kinds, which could be used to provide the brillant colours of which medieval cooks were fond: red, white, and pale green from fruits; strong green from spinach, which was used in sweet tarts; yellow from egg, with extra colour from saffron; and black from dark-coloured dried fruits. There are many 16th century recipes for coloured tartstuffs'."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 785)
"Tart...In America, the word tart tends to indicate a small individual open pastry case with a sweet, usually fruit filling. In Britian, this usage survives in the particular context of jam tarts, but on the whole tart refers to a larger version of this, with jam, fruit, or custard filling, that is cut into slices for serving, or to a similar fruit-filled pastry case with a crust--in other words, a fruit pie."
---An A to Z of Food & Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002 (p. 338)
I have fond memories of eating an authentic French tart when my niece, Sarah, and I went to France in 2011.
Tour de France
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| The Eiffel Tower! |
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| Spectacular view from the Eiffel Tower. |
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| Suffren Bar & Brasserie Our first meal in Paris. |
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| A charming cafe in Rouen. |
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| Rouen, where Joan of Arc was tried and burned. |
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| Boulangerie...Patisserie...Sandwicherie! My first French pastry. |
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| Our French baker. |
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| The Museum for Peace. |
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| At the Caen-Normandie Memorial. |
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| A time of remembrance. |
.jpg) |
| The beaches of Normandy. |
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Normandy. |
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| Utah Beach. |
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Beautiful French gardens.  .jpg)  which includes tapestries based on John's Revelation.     .jpg) |
The following is a very interesting history about the most famous of all French Tarts!
About Tart Tatin
Arguably, the most famous of all French tarts! Happy accident or stroke of genius? You decide...
"Tarte Tatin, an upside-down French apple tart. The Larousse Gastronomique explains that the name commemorates the Tatin sisters, who popularized it in their restaurant at Lamotte-Beuvron, to the south of Orleans, in the early 20th century. Later in the century, chefs devised variations, using pear, pineapple, or rhubarb, to give but three examples."
---Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 1999 (p. 785)
"Tatin. The name given to a tart of caramelized apples that is cooked under a lid of pastry and then inverted to be served with the pastry underneath and the fruit on top. This delicious tart, in which the taste of caramel is combined with the flavour of apples cooked in butter under a golden crispy pastry crust, established the reputation of the Tatin sisters, who ran a hotel-restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron at the beginning of the 20th century. However, the upside down' tart, made of apples or pears, is an ancient specialty of Sologne and is found throughout Orleanais. Having been made famous by the Tatin sisters, it was first served in Paris at Maxim's, where it remains a specialty to the present day."
---Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Revised and Updated [Clarkson Potter:New York] 2001 (p. 1198)
[NOTE: The original Larousse Gastronomique (1938) contains information on apple tarts but does not make reference to Tarte Tatin.]
"...How these Tatin girls accidentally inventd the famous tart involves a small sally into French social history. The Solognes region is the paradise of French hunters, a wild, forested area along the upper reaches of the Loire River, near Joan of Arc's City of Orleans...The hunters come with dogs and guns to spread out along the forest roads that pass isolated villages where they stay in small hunting auberges. Most of these tiny inns are owned and run by women who are also superb game cooks... In one of the villages, Lamotte-Buevren, about 24 miles from Orleans, the Auberge Tatin has been owned by the Tatin family for almost 70 years. The most famous cooks in the family were the Tatin sisters Marie and Jeanne, who ran the auberge about 40 years ago. As well as their game specialties, they had a dessert that was quite popular with regular visitors. You might call it a kind of deep-dish one-crust fruit pie. They made it in a copper pan about 9 inches across and 3 inches deep. They neatly filled it with circles of fruit cut, covered it with a single pastry crust, put a lid and baked it by sliding it under the glowing wood embers in the huge hearth. When the crust was golden brown, they carried the pie in its pan to the table. One day, just as she stepped into the dining room, Marie Tatin dropped the pan. The pie stayed in the pan, but the crust cracked badly right across its center. In a flood of tears, Marie scooped up the pan from the floor and rushed it back to the kitchen. It obviously could not be served with the big crack. There was no time to bake another. What could be done? Jeanne had the brilliant idea that was to make them famous. Quickly she ran a knife around the edge of the crust and overturned the entire pie onto a serving platter with the cracked crust underneath. The fruit, now on top, looked very neat, but a bit pale. In a heavy iron skillet Jeanne quickly caramelized some butter and sugar, then dribbled the shiny golden syrup over the fruit. When Marie carried the newly invented upside-down tart into the dining room, it we recieved with acclamation. Within a few months, it was being copied all over the Sologne region. Within a few years, it was a favorite all over France. For the rest of their lives the Tatin sisters basked in the glory of their tart. Thousands of visitors came to their tiny auberge, not to hunt but just for the pleasure of meeting the sisters and looking at the circle painted on the floor to mark the spot where the tart fell. Yet the Tatin girls deeply resented all the imitation of their tart. They struggled for the rest of their lives to keep their recipe a secret. They never published it or even wrote it down, so an "authentic recipe" does not exist, only hundreds of different interpretations by other cooks."
---"One Great Dish," Roy Andres de Groot, Washington Post, October 14, 1979 (p. K1)
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