Lemon Squares Tart

I made a twist on an original recipe for Lemon Squares and made it a tart with shortbread crust. The result... amazing!!! Tanginess, sweetness, texture... hummm, definitely a great combination!

Let's get started:

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg


Filling:
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 spoons of granulated sugar
1/4 cup grated fresh lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
Confectioner's sugar for dusting


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch springform pan.

2. For the crust: In a mixing bowl with a paddle, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix until the mixture is crumbly, then add the egg and continue to mix until a soft dough forms.

3. Press the dough on the bottom and an inch up the sides of the prepared pan; dock with a fork, and bake for 15 minutes, until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.

4. While the crust bakes, whisk the egg yolks and eggs together in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Strain the mixture immediately into a bowl and stir in the cream.

5. Pour the filling over the warm crust. Bake the tart until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center jiggles slightly when shaken, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

6. Let the tart cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove from the pan and dust with confectioner's sugar and garnish with whipping cream just before serving. Enjoy!