Lemon tarts have become very popular and are based on the classic French recipe Tarte au Citron, which tastes so fresh and tangy that it is impossible to imagine the calories hidden inside.

The pastry is Pâte Sucrée and the filling a mixture of eggs, sugar, double cream and, of course, lemons. However, this basic formula can be adapted to ring the changes. The pastry should be sweet, but can be varied from sweet shortcrust to hazelnut pastry, almond pastry or even chocolate pastry, which is good with an orange tart.

Variations

Some suggestions for fillings are lime, lime and ginger, orange and lemon, chocolate and orange, passion fruit and lemon, raspberry and lemon and even pink grapefruit. If fewer lemons are used, the amount of sugar can be reduced. Also the cream can be replaced by Greek yoghurt, for a filling which is a little lower in calories.

St Clement’s Tart

Serves 8-10

For the pastry

Flour250g

Butter, cut into pieces170g

Caster sugar85g

Toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped100g

Egg, beaten1

For the filling

Eggs6

Medium oranges, juice & finely grated zest3

Lemon, juice and finely grated zest1

Caster sugar110g

Greek yoghurt300g

Method

1. First make the pastry: sift the flour, rub in the butter and add the sugar, hazelnuts and the beaten egg. Bind it together.

2. Roll out the pastry and line a 27cm/11-inch flan tin.

3. Bake the pastry blind at 190C for 20 minutes until it has turned a pale brown.

4. To make the filling, gently beat the eggs, but do not make them too frothy. Add the orange juice and zest, lemon juice and zest, sugar and yoghurt. Taste and add more sugar if necessary it will depend on the sweetness of the oranges.

5. Pour the filling into the baked flan case and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes at 150C or until the filling is just set. Serve cold, dusted with icing sugar.