Tart au Citron (Classic French Lemon Tart)

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I had other recipes to share this week, but the appetizer and dessert from this past Sunday are recipes that I will not be making anytime soon. So, a Sunday-dinner recipe-sharing week it is! 

This tart-oh, this tart. It is a sweet transition from Winter to Spring. Seasonal citrus and a vibrant color are welcome in my kitchen this time of year.  This French tart is simple and classic.  I use my go-to sweet tart dough and fill it with what is basically lemon curd on steroids. It is enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. Other than a light dusting of powdered sugar, which is optional, you don't need to embellish this tart with anything else. It is wonderful all by itself.  

When choosing lemons, whether they are organic or not, select lemons that have a smooth and thin skin vs. ones that have a bumpy and thick skin. The smoother the skin, the heavier the lemon will be, and it will have more juice. Therefore, you won't need to buy as many lemons, and that will be easier on the wallet! I use regular lemons, but you could use Meyer lemons if they are available. Meyer lemons are not as tart, so the filling will be a tad sweeter. And wouldn't you know that almost 13 years ago to the day, I posted my recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd!

The other main ingredient is eggs. You probably have noticed that I use extra large eggs in my sweet and savory recipes. I think you get a little more for your money. Unfortunately, there is a bird flu epidemic and extra large eggs are difficult to find, so you can substitute with large eggs. The filling uses 8 eggs total: 4 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks. So, what do you make with the leftover egg whites? You make Raspberry Chocolate French Macarons, of course! 

Equipment needed:

1 9 x 1 /18-inch tart pan with removable bottom

1 medium fine mesh strainer

Sunday Dinner

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Lemon-Herb Goat Cheese Ball

with Green Zebra Tomatoes

Grilled Butterflied Brown Sugar Chicken

Creamy Corn Pudding

Simple Green Salad

Lemonade Pound Cake

Summer is quickly coming to an end and I want to "squeeze" (pun intended for this post) in as many seasonal good eats as possible.  

If you follow me on FB, you'll know that I have Green Zebra Tomatoes growing in my garden and they pair so well with the goat cheese appetizer we are having tonight.  It's ittle hard to post that appetizer recipe right now because I am sure many of you do not have that variety growing, but maybe I'll just share the goat cheese ball soon. I have previously shared the recipes for the main course and side; Grilled Butterflied Brown Sugar Chicken and the Creamy Corn Pudding, so I have linked those recipes above. What I am going to share today is the cake!  

I have already told you about my Great Aunt Margaret's Southern Pound Cake and that is "kinda" like a lemon pound cake, but this here cake...is a Lemonade🍋 Pound Cake. It is sweet and just a bit tangy like a tall glass of lemonade.  

Now, you might be wondering how the "lemonade" flavor is achieved.  Wait for it...good ole fashion lemonade concentrate.  Yep, the work is already done for you. Well except for the part of making the cake😉.  

The other ingredient that makes this a wonderful cake is the addition of sour cream.  Having said that, you can also use plain yogurt (not the Greek stuff).  They both have equally good results and make for a tender and moist end product.  The last thing to finish off this cake is the glaze.  Mmm...glaze. The original recipe called for drizzling the glaze over the still warm cake, but I like to see my glaze, so I let the cake cool a bit longer before pouring on the glaze

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So, pucker-up, run to the store and get that can of lemonade concentrate! Happy Sunday! 

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

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What would Summer look like if it could be transformed into a liquid and poured into a glass? After I made and began to photograph this sparkling strawberry lemonade, I began to believe that I had a nominee for the "Summer in a Glass" award that exists only in my head ☺.  At least in the "June" category, anyway.

That is the dreamy side of this beverage.  The fact of the matter is that this drink tastes really good.  The kids will love it poured over ice.  The adults will love it mixed with vodka while appreciating a painted sky summer sunset.  Mix it up and drink in the season.      

*Important Note*---If not serving to a crowd, keep the lemon syrup-strawberry mixture and the sparkling water separate until ready to drink so as not to lose desired fizziness.