lemon tart & limoncello ice cream

Lemon tart with limoncello ice cream, meringues and lemon curd, a perfect dinner party dessert.

Lemon tart with limoncello ice cream, meringues and lemon curd – does dessert get any better. Anyone who know’s me will know that when it comes to anything sweet, the flavour of lemon tops my list every time. I have a naturally bitter palette and will always look for lemon on a dessert menu when I’m eating out. This is followed closely by either rhubarb or apple.

Michelle and I were chatting about the Supperclubs we are planning to run this year, and specifically desserts. Michelle said she wanted to create a lemon tart I was very encouraging! If I’m being entirely honest I took over and told her everything I’ve ever dreamt of on my perfect dessert plate. Being the good friend she has created my ideal dessert of me!

In terms of dessert my all out favourite sweet treat has to be lemon ice cream. I first tasted good quality lemon ice cream on a school trip to Paris (more years ago that I care to remember). It’s a taste memory I’ll never forget, I can still picture my 16 year old self enjoying that ice cream. A large cone of lemon ice cream was also my daily treat whilst on honeymoon in Venice. It’s the one sweet I’ll put before all others.

Knowing my love of this beautiful bright yellow citrus fruit. Michelle really has created my perfect dessert dish. Pretty as a picture and even better to eat!

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Alternative Recipe Suggestions:

If you like this showstopper dessert then why not try our recipe for Blackberry Parfait, our Lemon Pannacotta & Raspberry Jelly or Vanilla Baked Cheesecake with Mulled Plums. For quick and simple desserts try our Peach & Raspberry Mille Feuille or our Lime & Ginger Cheesecake.

Lemon Tart with Limoncello Ice Cream

A beautiful lemon dessert with multiple layers, perfect to impress at any dinner party.

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Waiting Time: 4 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 784kcal

Author: Michelle Rolfe

Ingredients

Tart Pastry:

• ▢ 225 g plain flour
• ▢ 150 g cold butter (cubed)
• ▢ 25 g icing sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg beaten

Tart Filling:

• ▢ 6 free-range eggs
• ▢ 200 ml double cream
• ▢ 235 g caster sugar
• ▢ 4 lemons (juice and zest)
• ▢ Icing sugar for dusting

Mini Meringues

• ▢ 75 g egg whites
• ▢ 150 g caster sugar

Lemon Curd

• ▢ 2 egg yolks
• ▢ 75 g caster sugar
• ▢ 2 lemons (zest and juice)
• ▢ 20 g cold butter in small pieces

Limoncello Ice Cream

• ▢ 300 ml double cream
• ▢ 300 ml full fat milk
• ▢ 3 eggs
• ▢ 115 g caster sugar
• ▢ 1 lemon (zest only)
• ▢ 50 ml limoncello

Spun Sugar Twirls

• ▢ 100 g caster sugar

MetricUS Customary

Instructions

Lemon Tart

• Make the pastry by placing the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor. Pulse briefly until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add the egg yolk. Pulse again until the mixture sticks together then tip onto a floured work surface and gather and roll it into a ball. Knead the pastry lightly to make it smooth. Wrap it in parchment paper and chill for 15-30 minutes.
• Grease a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed, fluted tart tin.
• Roll out the pastry until it is about 4cm wider than the base of the tart case.. As you are rolling out, turn the pastry by turning the paper. Gently fold the pastry around the rolling pin and lay over the greased tart case. Press into the case gently and up the fluted sides, allow any excess to hang over the edges then lightly prick the base with a fork, but not quite all the way through.
• Place the pastry-lined tin on a baking tray, cover loosely with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C / Fan 180C.
• Remove the cling film from the pastry case and line with parchment paper so it supports the sides, then fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 12 minutes, until the pastry is set, then lift out the foil and beans. Carefully trim the excess pastry from the sides using a sharp knife, holding the knife at a sharp angle and slicing away from you. Return the empty pastry case to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is pale golden and completely dry. Set aside to cool while you make the filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C / Fan 140C.
• Make the filling by breaking the eggs into a large bowl and whisk together. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and whisk again until well combined. Pour the filling mixture into a jug, then into the cooled baked pastry case. Note: pour in most of the filling so it almost fills the case then carefully sit the baking sheet and tart on the oven shelf, then top up with the rest of the filling to completely fill it. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until just set but with a slight wobble in the centre, you many need to increase the time slightly depending on your oven.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly then, when the pastry seems firm enough, remove the tart from the tin. The easiest way to do this is to place the base of the tin on an upturned glass and let the outer ring fall to the work surface.
• Dust with sifted icing sugar and if wanting to caramelise use a kitchen torch to slightly caramelise the sugar on top making sure not to burn the pastry edges.

Mini Merengues

• Preheat the oven to 110C.
• Place the sugar in a metal tray and warm in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
• While the sugar is warming, place the egg whites into a stainless steel bowl, ensuring its completely clean and free from grease.
• Whisk the whites until they are at the soft peak stage.
• Gradually add the warmed sugar and continue to whisk until all the sugar I incorporated and mixture is glossy and feels smooth when rubbed between your fingers, there should be little to no grains of sugar felt.
• Transfer mixture to a piping bag with a round or fluted nozzle. (Note, at this point you can pipe a stripe of food colouring into the piping bag if you want a striped meringue.)Hold the piping bag quite vertical and pipe onto a tray lined with baking parchment in bite sized kisses.
• Bake the meringues for 35-40 minutes until the meringues come off the parchment clean.

Lemon Curd

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a small pan until light and frothy.
• Add the zest and juice of the lemons to the egg mixture and stir. Place over a medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
• Once mixture has thickened remove from heat and stir in the butter till completely melted.
• Pour into a sterilised jar and cool. This will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Limoncello Ice Cream

• Ensure you ice cream maker has been chilled in the freezer the night before.
• In a small pan place the milk, cream and zest of the lemon. Place over a medium heat and stir to allow the lemon to infuse.
• While the cream mixture is warming, whisk the sugar with the eggs in a bowl until pale and frothy. Set aside until the cream mixture is ready.
• Stir the cream mixture ensuring it doesn’t curdle until it comes to just below boiling point. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• Prepare a larger bowl with ice and cold water ready to set the mixture in.
• Add a ladle of the warm cream mixture to the whisked eggs and whisk immediately. Repeat to allow the egg mixture to come to an equal temperature of the cream mixture. Next add the remaining cream mixture through a sieve to remove the lemon zest to the egg mixture and combine well.
• Return the mixture to the pan and place again over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
• Replace the mixture to the bowl and at this point add the limoncello and set this bowl into the bowl of iced water. Stir every few minutes to stop a skin forming on the top until cooled. Remove from the ice, cover and place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Then follow your ice cream maker instructions and churn for the suggested time. Once ready you can place into a plastic container with a lid and freeze. Take from the freezer 5-10 minutes before serving.

Spun Sugar Spirals

• Place the sugar in a small pan over medium high heat. Allow to dissolve until golden and starting to caramelise. Push the sugar into the middle to ensure all dissolved. Once at the golden caramel stage, turn the heat to minimum and allow the mixture a few minutes to thicken. You want it to be able to drop from the spoon forming a twirl as it does, any looser and it will be too runny to work with.
• Rub some sunflower oil over the handle of a wooden spoon. When the sugar is ready use a spoon and carefully allow the strands to twist around the wooden spoon handle. Allow a minute for it to set then you should be able to slide it from the handle and place on greaseproof paper. These will keep in an airtight container for a couple of days before they begin to wilt.

Notes

This tart filling makes enough for a 23cm tart tin, scale the ingredients up to fill a 28cm tin, depending on what you are using.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Tart with Limoncello Ice Cream

Amount Per Serving

Calories 784 Calories from Fat 342

% Daily Value*

Fat 38g58%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Cholesterol 310mg103%

Sodium 232mg10%

Potassium 285mg8%

Carbohydrates 99g33%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 75g83%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 1505IU30%

Vitamin C 40.3mg49%

Calcium 122mg12%

Iron 2.4mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Dessert

Cuisine : British

Keyword : celebration, dinner party

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