Method

For the short crust pastry:

Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and add the cube of butter.

Use your fingertips to rib the butter into the flour until you have a mixture that resembles coarse breadcrumbs with no large lumps of butter remaining. Try to work quickly so that it does not become greasy.

Using a knife, stir in just enough of the cold water to bind the dough together. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 10-15 minutes before using.

Alternatively using a food prcessor and pulse until the fat is rubbed into the flour.

With the motor running, gradually add the awter through the funnel until the dough comes together. Only add enough water to bind it.

Ingredients

For the short crust pastry:

• 125g x plain flour
• 1 pinch x salt
• 55g x unsalted butter, diced
• 30/45ml x cold water

For the lemon mixture:

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk gently to break up the yolks.

Add the sugar and mix well. Add the cream and the lemon juice and stir.

Pass the mixture through a sieve, then add the lemon zest and set aside.

For the lemon mixture:

• 5 x free-range eggs
• 190g x caster sugar
• 250ml x double cream
• 4 x lemons, juiced and zested 

For the lemon tart:

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Grease a 20cm flan ring with butter. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to male a circle large enough to fit over the flan. Using the rolling pin, crefully lift the pastry over the ring and gently press into the ring. Allow the pastry to overhand the edges of the ring slightly. Line with a circle of greasproof paper and fill with rice or baking beans.

Transfer to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove form the oven down to 150C and pour the lemon mixture into the tart case. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or until the filling is just set and the pastry is golden-brown.

Remove the tart from the oven and trim off the edge of the pastry. Leave to cool completly, then pace in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours.