Lemon tart
A low potassium and low protein tasty dessert for a special occasion. Please note: the fruit coulis pictured is not included in the nutritional analysis of this dish.
Chef
Ingredients
Pastry
100g plain flour
75g unsalted butter
15g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
Filling
200g caster sugar
5 lemons
4 eggs
175ml double cream
2 teaspoons icing sugar (to serve)
Method
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Step 1
For the pastry, sift the flour and rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Separate the eggs, adding the yolk and reserving the white for later. Stir in the caster sugar and mix to form a dough. Add a little cold water if necessary. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes or in the fridge overnight.
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Step 2
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a deep (18cm) loose-bottomed tin. To bake, cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20 minutes.
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Step 3
Remove the beans and greaseproof paper. Brush the pastry with the egg white before returning it to the oven for 5-10 minutes until very lightly coloured.
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Step 4
For the filling, zest three of the lemons and whip the double cream and set aside. Juice five lemons, stirring in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the lemon zest, whisk in the eggs and finally, gradually stir the lemon mixture into the whipped cream. Leave the filling, well covered, in the fridge overnight.
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Step 5
Pre-heat the oven to 140C/gas mark 1. Remove filling from the fridge and stir gently to combine it again. Pour the filling into the baked pastry case and cook it for 1 hour until set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
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Step 6
To serve, dust the tart with icing sugar and then caramelise it for 2-3 minutes under a very hot grill or with a blow torch.
Food facts
The flour and eggs are the main sources of carbohydrate in this dish. The carbohydrate values have been provided for those who have trained in insulin adjustment.
This dish is high in phosphate due to the eggs. If you have been prescribed a phosphate binder ensure you take them with this dish.
This is a low protein dessert and would make a suitable treat if following a low protein diet.
Substitute the plain flour for gluten-free flour.
If you want to reduce the amount of sugar or fat you eat, use artificial sweetener instead of the sugar for the lemon tart filling or half sweetener and half sugar. Use a low-fat margarine spread instead of the butter for the shortcrust pastry.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within two days.
A simple way to separate egg yolk and white is to use a slotted spoon.
If you don’t have ceramic baking beans which you can reuse, try using dried beans, rice or lentils.
Brushing the partly cooked pastry case with egg white helps to form a seal and keeps the pastry crisp when you add the filling.