Easy Lemon Tart Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my lemon tart set? ›

If the filling is runny and flowing out of the tart when you cut into it, then it is likely that the curd was not cooked for quite long enough. You need to be patient when cooking citrus curds as if you heat the mixture too quickly then it can curdle and become lumpy. You need to keep a low heat and stir constatntly.

If your lemon tart is runny, the mostly likely cause is not cooking the filling long enough. It should be nicely thickened when you pull it off the stove.

Why does my lemon tart crack? The most common reasons why your tart has cracked is because the oven was too hot or the tart baked too long and overbaked. We recommend pulling your lemon tart from the oven when it's still a little jiggly in the middle when the pan is gently shaken. Love all things lemon?

Burr explains that custard, especially ones that are heavy on fruit, have a tendency to split as a result of the moisture content and too-high oven temperatures. This is the chief issue you'll encounter when baking a lemon tart.

Half-fill the tart case with lemon mixture, then place tart on an oven shelf, ensuring it's level. Fill to the rim with remaining filling (you may have a little left over). Bake until the tart is set but with a little wobble in the centre (about 30 minutes).

Once you've successfully got it in there, you can relax and let it bake for 20-30 minutes. You will know the tart is done when you can gently nudge the tin and the mix wobbles like set jelly.

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

Richard's solution: Tough pastry is very common, but easily avoidable. It usually occurs when you've been a bit heavy-handed with the water when you're initially bringing the pastry together (by adding water to the flour and butter), or if you have over-worked the dough and developed the gluten in the flour.

Soggy bottoms

And finally, the most frustrating pastry problem of all – the soggy bottom. This normally happens when the oven is not hot enough or the pastry is not baked for long enough. However, it can also be because too much water was added to the dough.

To make this paste, mix two parts flour with one part melted butter and whisk until properly combined. Use this buttery paste to fill in cracks or gaps in the crust the same way you would use the flour-water paste. And, just like the other method, bake until dry.

How do you fix a crack in a tart? ›

She starts by mixing some flour and water in a bowl—just enough to make a small amount of paste, the consistency of spackle. She then uses a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the paste across the line of damage in the crust. Next, she places the crust in the oven and bakes it just until the paste has dried.

Grainy or gritty lemon curd comes from curdled (over-coagulated) eggs, as a result of overcooking. The easiest way to prevent curdling is to use a double boiler to slow the rate of cooking-- and to monitor the temperature with a thermometer.

To serve cold: Remove from all packaging. Defrost thoroughly for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator Alternatively defrost thoroughly for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. Once defrosted, keep refrigerated and use on the same day Do not refreeze Follow the cooking instructions to serve hot.

Problem: Your Pastry is Crumbly

Adding too much fat and overmixing or adding too little liquid can make the pastry crumbly. It is vital to weigh ingredients carefully and handle the dough gently.

Remove the filling from the pie and add it to a saucepan on the stovetop. Add a bit of cornstarch (refer to the table above for measurements) and gently heat it to a boil. Turn the heat down and let the fruit simmer for a few minutes to activate the cornstarch.

Very soft, difficult-to-mould pastry: Either too little flour or too much water or fat was used, the pastry was not kneaded together until smooth or the pastry was still too hot and soft to roll out (to remedy this, allow to stand or knead gently for 1–2 minutes).

I think you didn't cook it long enough after adding the eggs. Lemon pie filling has to be almost so thick you can cut it with a knife before you pour it into the shell or it won't set up. So you cook it until it becomes that thick.

A custard with both eggs and starch needs to be thoroughly cooked. The reason is that yolks contain an enzyme which liquidifies starch. It doesn't happen outright, but will happen while your tart is cooling. The only way to prevent it is to heat the mix high enough so the enzyme is deactivated.