When I needed some desserts to serve at a casual backyard BBQ last weekend, I thought that a Lemon Cloud Tart with Rhubarb Compote would be a perfect summery dessert for a hot day in June. Plus, I've sort of been in the mood to make something with rhubarb since I recently started seeing it at the farmer's market.
I was able to get a head start on the tart by making a few components a day ahead: the rhubarb compote, the lemon curd, and the dough for the tart crust. The compote is incredibly easy -- you simply cook cut rhubarb with sugar and lemon juice until the fruit softens; it only takes a few minutes. The tart crust was also straightforward. You just beat softened butter, powdered sugar and lemon zest, add an egg yolk, and then beat in ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt. I wrapped the dough in plastic and chilled it overnight.
The method for making the lemon curd is a bit different than what I'm accustomed to -- usually I just make it over direct heat, but this recipe calls for a double boiler. You heat lemon juice, butter, and sugar in a double boiler until the sugar dissolves, add in tempered eggs and egg yolks, and cook until thickened. I put the curd through a sieve and noticed that there were still white specks of albumen in it, so I put it through a second, super-fine sieve to make sure it was completely smooth before putting it in the fridge overnight.
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Because of the delay with making the second crust, I was only able to chill the filled tart for a little over an hour before serving it. As a result, when I cut the tart, the filling was not set firm and the slices looked a little messy. The rhubarb compote was a bit watery and so I briefly drained it in a sieve before spooning it onto the plates.
This tart was wonderful. The filling had the intense flavor of lemon curd, but with a totally different texture -- completely smooth and silky, and somehow simultaneously light and rich. The crust did not have as much hazelnut flavor as I was expecting, but it was perfectly textured and deliciously buttery. And the rhubarb compote -- although a bit on the sweet side -- was a lovely complement.
I ate a piece of leftover tart the next day and the crust wasn't soggy at all. Also, the filling was nicely firm and cut cleanly. Overall, making this tart is not difficult, although it does require a lot of time -- but it's time very well spent. This cloud tart is dreamy indeed!
Recipes: "Lemon Cloud Tart" and "Rhubarb Compote" from epicurious.com.
I was able to get a head start on the tart by making a few components a day ahead: the rhubarb compote, the lemon curd, and the dough for the tart crust. The compote is incredibly easy -- you simply cook cut rhubarb with sugar and lemon juice until the fruit softens; it only takes a few minutes. The tart crust was also straightforward. You just beat softened butter, powdered sugar and lemon zest, add an egg yolk, and then beat in ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt. I wrapped the dough in plastic and chilled it overnight.
The method for making the lemon curd is a bit different than what I'm accustomed to -- usually I just make it over direct heat, but this recipe calls for a double boiler. You heat lemon juice, butter, and sugar in a double boiler until the sugar dissolves, add in tempered eggs and egg yolks, and cook until thickened. I put the curd through a sieve and noticed that there were still white specks of albumen in it, so I put it through a second, super-fine sieve to make sure it was completely smooth before putting it in the fridge overnight.
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The following day, I rolled out the tart dough between two sheets of parchment paper, without using any flour. After a quick chill, I blind baked the crust. Even though I didn't use any pie weights (the recipe doesn't instruct you to use any), the crust remained perfectly flat and didn't shrink. Unfortunately, the crust turned out too dark and I didn't want to use it. But I had enough time to mix up another batch of tart dough. I watched it like a hawk in the oven and it came out the perfect shade of golden brown.
Of course, making the new crust -- with all of the required chilling and baking time -- put me a few hours behind my original schedule. As a result, I had to fill the cooled crust after our guests had already arrived. To make the filling, I beat whipping cream, crèam fraîche, sugar, and lemon zest to stiff peaks, and marbled the mixture with the lemon curd. I poured the resulting filling into the crust, used an offset spatula to make some decorative peaks, and put the tart in the refrigerator to chill before serving.
This tart was wonderful. The filling had the intense flavor of lemon curd, but with a totally different texture -- completely smooth and silky, and somehow simultaneously light and rich. The crust did not have as much hazelnut flavor as I was expecting, but it was perfectly textured and deliciously buttery. And the rhubarb compote -- although a bit on the sweet side -- was a lovely complement.
I ate a piece of leftover tart the next day and the crust wasn't soggy at all. Also, the filling was nicely firm and cut cleanly. Overall, making this tart is not difficult, although it does require a lot of time -- but it's time very well spent. This cloud tart is dreamy indeed!
Recipes: "Lemon Cloud Tart" and "Rhubarb Compote" from epicurious.com.
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