Jane’s Lemon Curd Tart With Fresh Fruit

We All Have Our Specialties

Food is definitely a big part of traditions and like all families, everyone seems to have their specialties.  By specialties, I mean dishes that are expected to be in hand when you arrive at the gathering.   Meet Jane (#5).  In addition to her being an artist, marketing representative, herb connoisseur (I call her medicine woman), and a family member loved by all, she is a fab-u-lous cook.   From the main course to the dessert, Jane has covered it all and she has a unique way of pouring her creativity into any dish she makes.  We can always count on her for a picture perfect dessert and a pasta casserole that could feed an army.  Jane’s lemon curd tart with fresh fruit is a recipe anyone can master.  She will show you that with a few already prepared ingredients the level of difficulty goes down, the time to make it is minimal and you’ll be patting yourself on the back in no time.  Just watch.

You Can Do This!

After perfecting a lemon curd from scratch, Jane found a brand that makes an all natural lemon curd and the company is American Spoon.  You can find their link here. She discovered American Spoon on a visit to Michigan and has been a fan every since.  Jane also buys Dickinson’s lemon curd.  You can find their brand in grocery stores and specialty shops like your local fruit farm.  Buy a quality lemon curd, a prepared pie crust and you are off to creating a dessert that will wow your family and friends at your next party.

Let the Creating Begin!

Jane places the pie dough in the tart pan and presses it to the bottom and up the sides and then pricks the dough.   Just a reminder – the bottom of a tart pan is loose so don’t pick up the pan from the bottom, lift from the sides.  I know that may seem elementary but it’s easy to forget and you could have a mess.  I’ve also added extra pictures showing the steps which I’m hoping will be a confidence booster.  Just watch.

Easy Peasy

The lemon curd is ready to be spread directly from the jar.  Isn’t that great?  Compared to a custard, a curd contains a large amount of juice and zest giving it that wonderful intense and tangy flavor. The basic ingredients of a fruit curd include; beaten egg yolks, sugar, fruit juice and zest which are cooked together forming a soft smooth spread.  Jane brought along some antique petite tart pans and we filled them with the lemon curd, berries, and Fruit Perfect Sour Cherries, also from American Spoon.  I recently tried cupcake pans and they work too.

Hand Picked for Size

Jane started with the largest strawberry in the middle and then worked her way out to the sides and continued this in a criss-cross fashion.   The strawberries have been washed and tops cut flat. Speaking of flat, I’m on my third flat of strawberries for the season and haven’t even made preserves.  I’m enjoying the flavor and the wholesome goodness of this wonderful berry and I’m also looking forward to my own strawberry patch producing this year.  They are blooming!

Love those Colors!

The strawberries are in position and ready for the blueberries.  Remember to try your favorite fruit. Blackberries and raspberries are great for tarts.  Get creative and experiment.

It’s in the details

Jane was very methodical about the positioning of the blueberries.  With the range of sizes, she was hand picking them for placement.  In the second photo, she is brushing the berries with a mixture of apricot jelly and Grand Marnier.  I just happen to have the Grand Marnier on hand.  Whiskey can also be used and the liquor is optional.  Delicious!

Don’t You Love Them?

If there was any way to include a taste of this lemon curd tart with fresh fruit, or even a scratch and sniff, within this post, I would do it.  It’s hard to convey the flavor of the lemon curd so you will have to take my word that it’s sharp and zesty and petite bites just aren’t enough.  I hope you consider making this recipe not only this summer but all year long.  It’s fun to assemble and turns out picture perfect with a big wow factor.  Jane wanted to demonstrate how simple it is to create this beautiful dessert and I hope the pictures helped.    You can do this!

Jane (#5) and Rose (#8) 2016

Do you make tarts? Please leave a comment below if you’ve mastered a lemon curd or if this looks like something you’d like to try.  Oh- and don’t forget to let me know if you try this recipe.  Take a picture and I’ll post it on the Sock Box 10 facebook page .  Oh – and one more thing.  In the family picture in this post , Jane is in the first row with hat and gloves.  LOVE. IT.

Thanks so much for stopping by.   Rose

Jane's Lemon Curd Tart With Fresh Fruit

 

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Author: Jane Janssen Rieso and Sock Box 10

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: varies

Ingredients

• Pie dough for 1 9" tart pan. A prepared crust was used.
• 1 8½ oz jar of lemon curd (1 jar of American Spoon Lemon Curd was used)
• 2 pints blueberries (you will have a few left over)
• 2 quarts of strawberries
• 3 T peach jelly
• Grand Marnier for flavoring (approximately 1 T)

Instructions

1. Wash and cut off tops of strawberries and let dry.
2. Rinse blueberries and dry.
3. If using a bought prepared crust, follow instructions to bring crust to room temperature.
4. Roll the dough as directed to fit a 9" tart.
5. Press dough into tart pan and prick bottom and sides with a fork.
6. Bake the shell according to instructions and cool. Watch closely.
7. Spread lemon curd in the shell.
8. Arrange strawberries first placing the largest strawberry in the center, flat side down.
9. Work your way out to the sides and continue in a criss-cross fashion.
10. Fill in with blueberries.
11. Warm the jelly in a small saucepan. Stir in a tablespoon of Grand Marnier to add a little extra flavor and to thin.
12. Whiskey can be used and the liquor is optional.
13. Brush the jelly mixture on the fruit using a pastry brush.
14. Fruit Perfect Sour Cherries by American Spoon was used in the individual tarts.

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