Summer’s Don’t-Miss Dish
Lemon desserts are the quintessential finish to any meal: tart, sweet, palate-cleansing, light… simply classic and delicious. And for the ultimate lemon dessert in Santa Barbara County, head to the (newly reopened) Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch. Here, Chef Matt Johnson shines his light on the classic lemon tart.
A cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, all Meyer lemons used at the resort come from the ranch’s own trees and are juiced by hand to make the sweetest lemon curd Johnson has ever tasted. His lemon tart is the celebrity of the menu, and guests constantly ask for the recipe. Here’s how he makes it.
For the crust: Whisk 1 egg, a pinch of salt and some vanilla in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together 2 cups f lour and 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until combined, then cut in a half cup of cold diced butter until crumbly in texture. Mix with paddle attachment of stand mixer until there are no large lumps, and mixture becomes a little more yellow. Lastly add egg mixture. Mix until it starts to come together and finish by hand until completely smooth. Wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours before rolling out. Then, either roll out or press dough into 9-inch tart pan or smaller tart pans. Bake at 350° until light golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Let cool.
For the lemon curd filling: In stainless steel bowl combine ¾ cup Meyer lemon juice, 3 eggs, 1 egg yolk, ¾ cup sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Place over double boiler and whisk constantly until thickened and 180°. Remove and strain through mesh strainer. Cool to 140°. Add 1⁄8 cup cold diced butter and blend with hand blender. Pour lemon filling into crust. Bake at 350° until filling is set, 15–20 minutes. Let cool.
For the orange-blossom honey cream: Whisk together 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of orange-blossom honey and a pinch of salt until medium soft peaks form. Add more honey if desired. Top tart with honey cream, fresh blackberries and meringue, if desired.
