Bright, sunny lemon curd meets the tender, buttery embrace of a shortbread crust in this tart that feels like a New England summer morning. Finished with olive oil, pink peppercorn, hibiscus, and sumac salt gives the finishing bite: floral, slightly tart, and just a touch exotic, a playful twist on a familiar classic.
These tarts are best fresh, within 24 hours of baking, when the curd gleams and the crust retains its tender snap, but they maintain their charm for a few days; each bite a reminder that even the simplest ingredients can feel remarkable.
Yield: 8 Servings
TIme: 1 Hour, plus cooling time
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon Crimson Sumac Salt
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
For the Filling
6 lemons
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Powdered sugar and Crimson Sumac Salt for finishing
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 inch tart pan with olive oil.
Step 2
To make the crust, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, lemon zest and Crimson Sumac Salt in a large bowl. Add butter and cut into the flour until a crumbly dough forms. Press dough into the prepared tart pan and bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Prepare the filling while the crust is baking: Finely grate 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and set aside. Juice lemons to yield ¾ cup juice.
Step 4
In a saucepan, mix together lemon juice, sugar, eggs, cornstarch and salt over medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, continue to cook for 30 seconds until thickened, and then immediately remove from heat. Strain curd mixture into a bowl. Mix in butter, olive oil and lemon zest.
Step 5
When the crust is ready, remove from oven and carefully pour the lemon filling into the tart pan. Return the pan to the oven and bake until filling is set, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
Step 6
Allow tart to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours, or until cold. Finish with powdered sugar and Crimson Sumac Salt before serving.
