Lemon Rush

I don't feel like time has been on my side the past month of April... and yesterday I really got caught out. Two weeks ago I got myself a brand new niece... another little cherub to spoil. And yesterday was the afternoon tea for all the rellies to come and meet her. I had decided to make the dessert legends- Sago Pudding (Chinese Yum Cha style) and Powder Puffs. You aren't going to see them here... because I got distracted by blogging and dog walking!

So with one hour to go before departure time I made this lovely lemon tart. It is a favourite... it disappears in seconds and it is a gem because it is so quick to make... there are no special ingredients or special techniques like sifting! So if you are in a hurry try this:

Lemon Luscious Tart

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius (365F)

Ingredients:

Pastry:

- 1 Cup Self Raising Flour
- 60 g unsalted butter (about 2 ounces)
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 Cup Sugar

Lemon Butter curd:

- 60 g unsalted butter (about 2 ounces)
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1/3 Cup lemon Juice (about the juice of 1 large lemon)
- Lemon Rind (I skip this when I am in a hurry to no ill effects)


To make:

Pastry:

1. Mix all ingredients together until it forms a dough.
Note: The mixture can become really sticky. So I either add more flour until it is more obedient or I use cold butter.

2. Grease your spring form tin (about 24cm- but smaller or larger isn't really a problem) and press 2/3 of the pastry into the base. Make sure that around the edges you create a lip of about 2.5 cms (1 inch). Creating a tart case.


Lemon Curd:

3. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan over a moderate heat. Stir every now and then until it thickens. If it doesn't happen quick enough I just turn up the heat!

4. Pour the curd over onto the pastry base. Making sure it goes to the edges.

5. With the remaining 1/3 of pastry squish out flat-ish bits and toss randomly on top of the curd.

6. Cook in the oven for about 30 mins or until the top is golden

7. Let it cool in the tin (if you have time)

8. Dust with Icing sugar (if you have time)

In the 25- 30 mins it took to bake I went upstairs jumped into the shower, pulled on some clothes and ran a brush through my hair. Voila! No one was any the wiser that I fufilled my Aunty duties just in the nick of time!

Aaah! The present!


I was working at the markets on Saturday and of course this involves a bit of checking out all the other stalls. I am a sucker for a grandma who knits... so I got these little sheepskin lined booties in appropriate girlie colours from a lovely lady! In Chinese tradition the one month party is a big deal. So I have got 2 weeks to sew something. Hope I have got more time this month! T