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Recipe: Chocolate-Lemon Tart

May 23, 2008 at 4:22PM

Chocolate-Lemon Tart

Serves 12.

Adapted from a recipe in "Luscious Lemon Desserts," by Lori Longbotham.

Nutty crust:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 c. finely chopped almonds

6 tbsp. cold butter

2 tbsp. cold shortening

1 egg yolk

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 to 4 tbsp. very cold water, as needed

Filling:

1 c. heavy cream

2 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest

8 oz. semisweet chocolate, or 1 1/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or more, to taste

Combine flour, sugar and chopped almonds in a large bowl. Cut the butter and shortening into small chunks and work into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, a large fork, two knives held together or your fingers (gloved, to minimize melting), until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Combine the egg yolk, the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the water and add to the flour mixture, tossing lightly just until it begins to clump together; add more water only if the mixture is too dry to clump. Gather it into a ball, put it between sheets of waxed or parchment paper and flatten it to a 6-inch disk; chill 30 minutes.

Butter the bottom and side of a 9-or 10-inch tart pan or springform pan. Roll the dough out to an 11-or 12-inch circle (depending on the pan), press the dough into the pan and neaten or flute the top edge. Make holes all over it (bottom and sides) with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. (Both these periods of chilling help make the crust flaky.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the crust 15 minutes, or until it is golden brown, peeking now and then to poke down any part of the crust that bubbles up despite the fork holes. Set aside to cool. Remove the pan side.

Meanwhile, make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and the lemon zest and bring just to a boil. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a medium saucepan over very low heat, stirring, or in a medium bowl in a microwave oven, stirring periodically.

Whisk the 2 egg yolks in a small bowl. Add a little of the hot cream to the yolks, to temper them, then stir the diluted yolks into the hot cream. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly, just until the mixture makes a thin custard that leaves a path on the back of a wooden spoon when a (clean) finger is drawn through it. (Don't let the mixture boil.) Pour through a strainer into the melted chocolate and stir until completely smooth; stir in the lemon juice.

Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Let tart stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories325

Carbohydrates26 g

Protein5 g

Fat24 g

including sat. fat12 g

Cholesterol91 mg

Sodium51 mg

Calcium45 mg

Dietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 other carb. exch., and 5 fat exch.