Lemon Cloud Tart

Lemon Cloud Tart

Yield: 1 9-inch tart

# of Servings:  8 to 10

Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients:

1 recipe Pâte Sucrée

¾ cup (7.8 oz / 221 g) Lemon Curd, or high quality store-bought

4 egg whites (4 fl. oz), room temperature

Pinch of sea salt

¼ cup (1.75 oz / 50 g) granulated sugar

Confectioners’ sugar, as needed
Raspberry sauce, optional

Special equipment needed:

• One 10-inch by 1-inch deep tart pan
• A heavy bottomed 2 to 3 qt saucepan
• Pastry brush
• Fine mesh strainer
• Large pastry bag (21â€) with medium star tip (Ateco

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Wash four to six² lemons and let them come to room temperature
• Remove Pâte Sucrée from the refrigerator to soften. 
• Preheat oven to 375°F

Special equipment needed:

• One 9-inch by 1†deep tart pan or flan ring
• Stand mixer with wire whip attachment, or hand-held mixer

Pre-recipe preparations:

• Make Pâte Sucrée
• Make and chill lemon curd, at least one day ahead.

Directions:
Forming the Pâte Sucrée shell:

1. For the tart, pound the dough gently with the rolling pin and roll out to a 10†circle, Drape over the rolling pin and fit into the tart pan. Gently press into the corner of the pan without stretching the dough. Patch any tears with dough scraps. 
2. Let rest and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight. After resting (to let the gluten relax) the tart pan with the dough may be placed on a 10†or 12†cardboard circle, wrapped well in plastic, and frozen.  May be pre-baked directly from the freezer.

Baking the Pâte Sucrée shell:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. 

1. Place tart shell on a heavy-bottomed baking sheet, such as a half-sheet pan. Spray pan release on a square of aluminum foil or a 10†parchment circle and press it onto the chilled dough, making sure to press into the corners. Line with dried beans or rice.
2. Bake until the pastry dough is set, 14 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove the beans and foil and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes, just until any raw dough is baked.  Don’t overbake. Place on a cooling rack. 
4. When almost cool, carefully remove the ring by placing on a small bowl or can, and allow the outer ring to fall. Place tart shell, with the metal bottom, on the paper or silpat lined baking sheet. 
5. Let totally cool.

Making the filling and baking: 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F

1. Place the lemon curd in a medium sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. In a clean machine bowl, or a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add pinch of salt, then continue beating to soft peaks. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until just stiff peaks.
3. Stir ¼ of the meringue into the lemon curd to lighten. Gently fold in remainder just until no streaks of white remain. 
4. Scarpe the filling gently into the shell, and level with a spatula.
5. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, around 18 to 19 minutes. Note – the baked filling is very soft and delicate – do not perform the usual touch test for doneness as your finger will leave a mark.
6. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack until just warm.
7. Carefully slide a thin metal spatula, or the metal bottom from another tart shell, between the crust the bottom and slide onto a flat cake plate. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly sift confectioners’ sugar over the entire tart.
8. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife. Serve with optional raspberry sauce. 
9. Leftovers may be kept in the refrigerator for one day.