My original plan for this tart was a classic pâte sucrée dough and a meringue topping. But then I messed up my dough and ended up using my leftover egg whites for another project, so this lemon berry tart was my pivot. I opted for a press-in pie crust, adapted from one I found from Blossom to Stem. And since they are coming in season, fresh berries made an easier choice for topping. Sometimes the pivot is even better than the original plan!

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Ingredients

Press-In Tart Dough

• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (24 grams) confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creamy Lemon Curd

• 2 large eggs (100 grams)
• 2 egg yolks (37 grams)
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup (115 grams) lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

Decoration

• Fresh berries
• Lemon or lime zest (optional)

Instructions

Make the Tart Dough:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt together.

2. Combine the melted butter and vanilla together and pour over the flour mixture, mixing until everything comes together.

3. Press the dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart shell. Place the tart shell onto a sheet pan and bake until the crust is golden and set, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

Make the Lemon Curd:

4. In a medium heatproof mixing bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and heavy cream and whisk to combine.

5. Set the mixture over a saucepan of simmering water, and whisk constantly until the mixture becomes thick and the temperature registers 170°F, about 12 to 15 minutes.

6. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the butter chunks a few at a time, whisking to melt and combine. Once the mixture is creamy and consistent, press through a sieve into a separate clean bowl and cool completely to room temperature before using.

Assemble the Tart

7. Pour the lemon curd into the cooled tart shell, smoothing with an offset spatula. Decorate with fresh berries and sprinkle with citrus zest, if desired. Allow the tart to set in the refrigerator for about an hour before serving. The tart is best served the same day it is assembled but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.