MMMMM---------------------------PASTRY--------------------------------
1 c Unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 c Confectioners' sugar
1/2 tb Lemon peel; finely grated
1 pn Salt
8 tb Unsalted butter;
- cut into small pieces
2 Egg yolks
1 ts Vanilla extract
MMMMM--------------------------FILLING-------------------------------
8 tb Unsalted butter;
- at room temperature
1/3 c Honey
5 Egg yolks
1 1/2 c Blanched almonds; ground
2 Lemons; juice of
1/4 c Heavy cream
1/2 c Superfine sugar
1/2 c Water
1 Lemon; juice of
To make the pastry, sift the flour and confectioners' sugar into a
large cold bowl, stir in the grated lemon zest and salt, and add
the butter. Quickly and lightly rub the mixture together with your
fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Beat the egg yolks and
vanilla together and stir into the flour mixture. Pull the dough
together into a ball with your fingers, adding cold water only if
necessary to make a soft dough. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to fit a 9 to
10" tart pan with a removable bottom. To transfer the pastry, wrap
it around the rolling pin, lift above the pan, and unroll over the
rim. With your thumb and knuckle, gently press the pastry into the
pan, then roll the rolling pin over the rim to trim the edges. Line
with aluminum foil and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until just set. Set
aside, and lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
To make the filling, beat the butter and honey with an electric
mixer or by hand until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks one
at a time. Then stir in the almonds, the juice of 2 lemons (reserve
the zest, removed in thin strips), and the cream. Pour into the
pastry shell and lightly smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 30 to
40 minutes, or until golden brown and set.
Meanwhile, combine the superfine sugar, reserved lemon zest, and
water in a sugar pan or small heavy saucepan. Slowly bring to a
boil, then simmer 6 minutes or until the syrup lightly coats the
back of a metal spoon. Set aside to cool slightly.
Add the remaining lemon juice to the barely warm syrup and strain,
reserving the zest. Pour the syrup over the warm pie, remove from
the pan, and liberally sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and the
reserved zest. Serve immediately.
Note:
To make the pastry in the food processor, chill the processor bowl
and metal blade in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Working very
quickly, process the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and butter until the
mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and
pulse just to mix. (It is unlikely that you will need to add
water.) Wrap and refrigerate.
Recipe by Flavors of Greece by Rosemary Barron
ISBN: 0-688-07087-6
