Baking with Dorie: Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Tart

Please, don't let the fact that I don't have a picture for you stop you from making this week's Baking with Dorie recipe at Serious Eats.  The recipe for a whole-lemon tart comes from The Cafe Boulud Cookbook, the book I wrote with the amazing chef, Daniel Boulud, and it's one that I know you'll try, love and make over and over again.

When I say whole-lemon, I mean it.  The filling for the tart is made with every bit of the lemon, except the pith and pits,  so you get an intense shot of lemon flavor - this is not a tart for those with timid tastebuds.  In this version of the tart, raspberries are scattered across the bottom of a pre-baked crust before the (made-in-a-blender) lemon filling is poured in.  The recipe is super-easy and super-super good.  A sunshine-filled tart for winter.  Hope you enjoy it.

Comments

[dorie]

Julie, many thanks for writing to tell me about your birthday extravaganza. It makes me so happy to have been a part of it -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Mary, it is possible that your lemons may have made your tart bitter. Here's an idea for making the mixture more mellow: cut the lemon as directed and then drop the slices into a pot of boiling water. Let the slices boil for 30 seconds, then drain them. If you'd like, you can repeat the process with fresh water. Whether you do it once or twice, make sure to rinse the boiled lemons under cold water and then to squeeze out the excess water and dry the slices as best as you can.

[Mary]

I have not made this recipe, but I tried the Tartest Lemon Tart yesterday. It looked perfect, but it tasted more bitter to me than tart. Was it my lemons? Can you give me any suggestions?
Many sincere thanks.

[Julie]

I love the idea of a whole-lemon tart. I'm going to absolutely have to make this, since I'm a huge fan of your sweet tart pastry already -- and I have a bunch of beautiful Meyer lemons sitting in the fridge...

On another note, I just wanted to tell you that I coaxed a friend into making the chocolate gingerbread you posted at Christmastime for my recent birthday party (where we also had pistachio nougat cream cake, lemon cream charlotte, and chocolate Trianon cake -- all homemade, as well as LOTS of wonderful savory food). The gingerbread was one of the definite hits of the evening -- the texture so velvety, the flavor so spicy-warming and chocolaty-satisfying. Even though it's not holiday time, it's still a very perfect cold-weather dessert. Many, many thanks as always.

[dorie]

Thanks everyone. I hope by now some of you have made the tart and really liked it.

Linda B - I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear that you're baking again -- welcome back! As for using Splenda in the Lenox biscotti (oh, how I love those biscotti) ... I just can't help you. I've never baked with Splenda, so I don't know how it works and how it changes textures, if at all. If you do it for your Dad and you have a chance, please let us know.

Kim H - thank you so, so much for writing. You're right: I never would have guessed that anyone would be baking from my book in ALBANIA! Wow!! You're lovely for writing to tell me.

[Kim H]

Hi Dorie! You've inspired me to go pick one of the four lemons on my tiny tree in my garden!

I also wanted you to know that I bought your Baking book some time ago and loved it! But my friend is a far better baker than I am so I gave it to her for Christmas and she is making everything in the book! Luckily for us we get to eat it all. We're foreigners living in Albania and she works at the US embassy. Now I am going to buy two more copies, one for me and one for a local chef who loves desserts!

Would you ever have guessed that your book is being used in the far-flung country of ALBANIA???

Hugs from afar,
Kim

[Linda B]

I love lemon and raspberry - OMG ! I made the Lenox biscotti yesterday and my friends & husband cannot stop talking about them!!! Question-can I substitute Splenda or the 1/2 Splenda blend for the sugar? My dad is borderline diabetic, but I would love to make these for him. By the way, I haven't baked much in years but since I got Baking at Home, I can't stop !! Thank you, thank you, thank you !

[shirley]

I made Dorie's Lemon Cream Tart (the Pierre Herme one) recently, and it was definitely a ray of sunshine in the middle of winter! The cream was sinful, and I made it in little fluted tartlet pans. My friends were wowed.

[laurie]

Lemon and raspberry are 2 of my favorite flavors. I adore them both. This tart sounds divine in bringing them together. YUM!

[Maria]

I love lemon and raspberry together. An intense shot of lemon sounds great to me! Thanks for another great post/recipe! Have a great weekend!