baked goodies perfect for a tea party!

ummm... so, i sort of hosted a mini tea party at work this week. any excuse to bake some yummy baked goods, right? i'm not big on tea or anything, but i'll take all the goodies that come with it. :)

for our initial afternoon tea party kick-off, i settled on some coffee nutella macarons as well as some lemon cream cheese macarons (thanks to all the lemons in my garden), some mini lemon cupcakes with lemon icing, multi-berries scones, jam thumbprints and what better way to top it off then your not-so-typical savory bites, spam musubi. yup, you heard that right. we didn't have cute little tea sandwiches. we opted for spam musubi instead and those were delish! spam musubi is quite a hit with my coworkers and me. we'll take it any time of day, any day of the week, just as we'll take any of the other baked goodies.

anyway, the recipes are below if you'd like to bake any for your tea party or any party or just because. yeah, when you think about it, who needs an excuse to bake? i sometimes just bake because i wanted to. okay, enjoy and happy baking! :)



multi-berries scones
recipe adapted from smells like home's blueberry scones

ingredients:

• 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole
• 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen berries (i used a mix of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 egg, for egg wash

directions:

1. adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425° F. grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater. if using fresh berries, place the berries in the freezer until needed. whisk together the milk and sour cream in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. whisk to combine. add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
2. add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball. add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.
3. roll the dough into a 12-inch square. fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps). fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
4. return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again. sprinkle the berries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. using a dough scraper, roll the dough up to form a tight log. lay the log seam side down and press the the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. if freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed. bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18-25 minutes. transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

makes 12 scones (or however big/small you cut it)




mini eggless lemon cupcakes
recipe adapted from yum'e'licious

ingredients:

for the cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup buttermilk (or do what i do; add 1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup of milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes before using)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• zest of 1 medium sized lemon
• few drops of yellow color, optional

for the lemon icing drizzle

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

directions:

1. if you don't have buttermilk, this is when you mix the lemon juice and milk together and set it aside while you do everything else.
2. preheat oven to 350°F. then sift the flour, baking powder and the baking soda in a good size bowl and set that aside.
3. in another bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. then add in 1/3 cup buttermilk and beat again until fluffy. repeat again with another 1/3 cup. then add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well. now, if you want to use some yellow food coloring, this is where i add it in.
4. now add in the dry ingredients and mix well before adding in the remaining buttermilk; mix again until incorporated.
5. fill the mini cupcake cups to 2/3 full (makes about 20-24) and bake it in the oven for 14-15 minutes. or if you'd rather do a loaf cake instead, pour the batter into a greased loaf tin (9"x5") and bake it for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. let the mini cupcakes (or loaf) cool completely before drizzling the icing over. to make the icing, just mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice together. if it's too runny, just add more powdered sugar; and if too thick, add more lemon juice.

makes about 20-24 mini cupcakes or one loaf




other goodies you can find recipes for:

• coffee nutella macarons
• brown sugar salted caramel macarons
• coral french macarons with citrust buttercream filling
• jam thumbprints
• blood orange cranberry scones
• blueberry cream scones
• traditional english scones
• cranberry scones
• white chocolate biscottis

creamy lemon squares

whooo hooo! so here's my first post of 2015. it only took me 25 days into the new year, so that's not too bad considering i haven't posted any recipes lately, or more like months with the exception of those mini pecan tarts last month.

okay, so i was inspired by miss martha stewart after watching one of her episodes of martha bakes, featuring citrus baked goodies. you see we are in the winter season and winter is known for its abundance of citrus fruits. we have a small lemon tree growing out back in our garden and it's bursting with lots and lots of lemons! i've never seen this many lemons on our tree before, it's incredible. i mean... i'm so excited because the endless possibility of anything lemon is amazing. of course, i just need to muster enough energy to bake or create delicious yummy looking and tasting things. we'll see where that takes me. but for now, yes... i've made these perfect little lemony and creamy squares. they are perfectly sweet and creamy with the condense milk, but yet at the same time the tartness in the lemons come through. it is just amazing. it's like a nice burst of goodness in your mouth.

below's the recipe should you want to make some yourself. i did a mini hybrid of two recipes in one. i couldn't be bothered to make the shortbread crust and opted for a graham cracker crust instead. i've made the shortbread a bunch of times, so the graham cracker crust with the lemon squares is a new thing. i'd say it's not too bad, just a tad crumbly when you eat it, but still delicious. i ate every little bit of it, to the last crumb even! ;)



creamy lemon squares
recipe adapted from martha stewart's lime squares recipes

ingredients:

for the crust

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pan
• 1-1/2 cup (about 24 squares) graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar

for the filling

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (i used 3 lemons)

directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.
• In a food processor, finely grind the graham-cracker squares. Then add in sugar and butter and blend to mix. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.
• To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lemon juice; whisk until smooth. Pour filling into cooled crust; carefully spread to edges.
• Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack; then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut.

makes 16 squares. enjoy! :)

blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake

happy september! wow, september already?! i can't believe summer came and went and we're almost into fall. before you know it, it'll be halloween. that's when all the fun begins. you know, the good holiday season with all that fun and festive decorating, baking and cooking. oh, i love the holiday season. now, i don't know about you guys, but typically when i bake a cake with fruit in it, i feel like they always dry out. either i'm not very good or the recipes i've been using aren't quite there (yet). anyway, i came across a cake recipe here a while back while looking for breakfast cakes (or cakes that you can kind of pass for eating in the morning). i don't think i've had a more perfect (fruit) cake than this blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake here. even on day two, unwrapped, it still tasted as if it just came out of the oven a few hours ago. and i swear, i still had some on day four and it was just as good, but note that i cover the cake with plastic wrap after day two.

i'm not sure exactly how i came across it. i've lost the link to this cake recipe so i'm very sad i cannot give credit to whoever came up with the recipe. although i did stumble upon a blackberry cake recipe on food & wine's website and it was almost identical to this. i'm pretty sure whoever came up with the blueberry-lemon cake adapted it from food & wine's blackberry cake recipe. seriously, it was almost the same with a few minor changes. i will have to make that blackberry cake one day soon and see if it is up to par with this one. now trust me when i say this, you cannot go wrong with this recipe. it comes out perfectly moist and stays that way even on day 2 or 3. i couldn't get enough of it and usually i'm the type of person who will eat while baking or soon after baking. but beyond day 1, i forget there's even baked goodies around (most of the time anyway). i remember the other day while at work i thought about having a slice of this cake all day long. the minute i came home, i cut myself a slice and ate it before dinner. mmmm…. so. good.

for sure will i be making this cake again. actually, i've already made this recipe three times within the last week! i made the blueberry-lemon version twice and another one with figs added to it. all three came out perfect and delicious just as expected. i love how it requires no frosting and is perfect the way it is. of course, you can serve it with a little bit of freshly whipped cream on top for that extra touch of creamy sweetness, but i don't think it's necessary. i've eaten it both ways and both options are just as good. it's just a matter of preference i guess.

below's the recipe should you be interested. i say go ahead and make one today. you'll be so glad you did. seriously, delicious right?! i think so. enjoy and happy baking. :)


this blueberry-lemon cake is so moist and not at all dry. yes, even on day 2 or 3!


this easy to make and tasty blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake is perfect for those afternoon tea or as a sweet morning treat with that coffee.


i don't think i've baked or tasted a more yummier cake than this cake right here. for sure will i be making this one over and over again, in all different fruit variations hopefully. and yes, with and without that dollop of freshly whipped cream on top.

blueberry-lemon buttermilk cake

ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 sticks (4 oz) butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar, plus 1-1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken
• 5 oz fresh blueberries (or you can use frozen ones as well, maybe 1/2-1 cup)

directions:

1. preheat oven to 400°f with the rack in the middle of oven. butter or spray (i buttered mine) an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. butter or spray the parchment paper.
2. whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. add vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest. add egg and beat well.
3. at low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches, mixing until just combined.
4. add blueberries and fold in with a spoon. pour batter into cake pan, spreading and smoothing the top. sprinkle with 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar (this makes it a little crispy on the top).
5. bake until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more.
7. invert onto a plate and cut into 8 slices.
8. serve plain or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. enjoy!

makes 8, or however many you want to slice it. :)

lemon loaf cake

yes, i know, i've been MIA lately. but just because i haven't been blogging about any baked goodies or delicious eats doesn't mean i haven't been baking or eating good stuff, or designing or even exercising/running. actually, i have been with all of that. in fact, i've been baking a lot. i just haven't been taking any pictures and sharing them on here. that's because i can never find the time to take pictures of all the delicious eats i've been making. about the only time i can take photos of any baked goodies i make is in the morning and mornings around here are quite hectic with two little ones.

but yes, at long last, here is a yummy post. and if these photos aren't so great, it's because i took them with my phone this morning. so please, forgive me for the awful backgrounds and anything else that's imperfect about it. ;)

over the weekend my bro-in-law stopped by with a giant bag of freshly picked meyer lemons from his backyard. i kid you not, when i say giant, i mean one of those 13-gallon white garbage bag. it was halfway full at least, with who knows how many lemons. i know i've used about 1/3 of it already and there's still a ton left. so you see, my bro-in-law has this good-size (i don't think it's huge, but it sure produces a ton of lemons) lemon tree out back in his yard. it seriously is one lemon-producing machine because no matter how many branches he has cut off, the tree still finds ways to get more lemons out.

anyway, i decided to make use of the lemons. one of the things i've made with these lemons is this lemon loaf cake. i've made this recipe twice already in the last three days. it's pretty simple, so yes, piece of cake. i love how lemony this cake is. the amount of lemon juice is perfect and the added zest in the cake really makes all that lemon flavor stand out. i love how it uses both butter and oil and not just one or the other. the cake comes out just right and not dry at all. oh, to make it even more lemony is that added lemon glaze at the end. oh, so good. our house smelled delicious as the cake was baking in the oven. i couldn't wait to get it out and eat it while still hot. but yes, i was patient enough to wait until it cooled down to slice into it.

below's the recipe should you want to make it yourself. it's very easy and pretty straight forward. i've baked it twice already with minor adjustments and it hasn't failed me once (or twice). so go ahead and make some. these are delicious as an accompaniment to that afternoon tea or with your morning breakfast (i had it this morning w/ my iced coffee). enjoy and happy baking! :)


i love how lemony this cake is. it's the perfect treat with that afternoon tea or morning coffee.


this lemon loaf cake is so easy to make. you can make it again and again and it'll turn out just perfect every time.

lemon loaf cake
recipe adapted from sugar loco

ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup oil
• zest of one lemon

lemon glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350°f. prepare 9x5 loaf pan or 6 mini pans.
2. in a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. in a medium bowl combine eggs, sugar, butter, vanilla and lemon extracts, and lemon juice with a mixer. scrape bottom to make sure all is combined.
4. pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and blend until smooth, scraping sides and bottom of bowl.
5. add oil and lemon zest. mix well.
6. pour into prepared loaf pan(s) and bake for 45 mins (9x5) or 25 mins (minis). note: i did the loaf pan and only baked mine for 43 mins and it was fine. but of course, every oven is different.
7. insert toothpick to test. if the toothpick comes out clean, they should be good and taken out of the oven.
8. once removed from the oven, let the cakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
9. while cake is cooling in the pan, prepare the glaze. combine both the lemon juice and powdered sugar and whisk to combine.
10. remove the cake from the pan(s) and onto a wire rack. make sure and put a cookie sheet or newspaper under the rack. pour glaze over the cake loaf. let the cake cool completely on rack.
11. once cooled, slice and serve. enjoy!

makes 10-12 servings depending on how thick or thin you slice it. cake is good for 1-2 days covered/wrapped (uncovered for me because i'm too lazy to cover it so we leave it uncover, plus it gets eaten within a day) at room temperature. it could probably go longer, but it might go dry as the days passes. enjoy! :)

mini vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd + vanilla buttercream

so far this year we've had 3 people leave us at my work place. and this most recent one will be missed a whole lot. let's just say lunches aren't quite the same without him or the overall vibe isn't quite the same without him. he's fun and has quite the personality anyone would love to have around. so as a little farewell whatever-you-call-it, i made him some mini cupcakes. i asked him what he'd like but he couldn't decide and said for me to bake whatever. and cupcakes it was.

below's the recipe for one of the cupcakes i made. i've always been a fan of amy sedaris's vanilla cupcake recipe so i took her recipe and adapted it a little bit for my little take on her vanilla cupcakes. the overall result? the mini cupcakes turned out great. very nice and moist and with the lemon curd and buttercream combo, they were scrumptious. oh, and yes, i made others as well. you'll see there are mini red velvets with cream cheese frosting and another vanilla with chocolate coffee frosting. but these mini vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd and vanilla buttercream toppings are getting the feature in this post. they really are good. i absolutely love that hit of tartness from the lemon curd as you plop that one-bite mini cupcake in your mouth. seriously, the combination of sweet and sour is just perfect.

so go ahead and make some. you can even make your own lemon curd or use store-bought ones. hey, even a favorite jam could work too. but i say the whole lemon and vanilla combo is the way to go if you're up to making the whole cupcake from scratch. give it a try and let me know what you think! enjoy and happy baking. :)


these mini vanilla cupcakes are delicious. i absolutely love amy sedaris's vanilla cupcake recipe and the lemon curd pairs perfectly with it.


everyone at work enjoyed these goodies. who doesn't like one-bite mini cupcakes?! :)


mini red velvets w/ cream cheese frosting + vanilla w/ chocolate coffee frosting + vanilla w/ lemon curd + vanilla frosting: these were some tasty cupcakes and they made the perfect mini going away gifts.


yes, i instagram everything and lately it's been a lot of food photos. this was my instagram shot of the goodies i gave to my going away coworker.

mini vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd & vanilla buttercream frosting
cupcake recipe adapted from amy sedaris

cupcakes:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

vanilla buttercream frosting:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• cream or milk

directions for cupcakes:

1. preheat oven on to 375°F.
2. in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. put butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth.
4. pour in sugar and beat well. add in the egg and mix well.
5. then add: vanilla, the dry ingredients and buttermilk. beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full.
6. bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. let cakes cool completely before topping it off with the lemon curd and frosting.
8. makes 20-24 mini one-bite (or two?) cupcakes. or 6-8 regular ones (i can't guarantee the exact amount though because i only made mini ones).

directions for vanilla buttercream frosting:

1. cream butter in electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
2. slowly add in the sugar, vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy; and has reached the right consistency; about 3-4 minutes. add cream or more sugar as necessary to achieve proper consistency.

enjoy! these mini cupcakes are best enjoyed within a day or two. happy eating! :)

you can check out these recipes as well:

• sprinkles-inspired mini red velvet cupcakes
• eggless vanilla cupcakes w/ chocolate buttercream frosting
• meyer lemon curd

meyer lemon curd

in my last food blog post, the angel food cake cupcakes with strawberries and cream one, i mentioned that i still had these egg yolks i need to put to use or throw away. well, i'm glad to say i did not throw them away. i actually got around to making some lemon curd with them. meyer lemon curd actually. okay, i guess it doesn't make a whole lot of a difference whether you use the regular lemons or meyer lemons. it'll still turn out pretty tart-y delicious. either that or my tastebuds aren't that great and can't taste the difference.

i think lemon curd is actually one of the easiest things to make and there's just no way one can mess up while making it. i mean, you just throw everything together in a saucepan on medium heat and stir until it comes together. then strain it through a sieve. easy peasy, right?! i think so. not only is it easy to make, it's super versatile. i mean, you can use your curd and spread it on a nice piece of toast in the morning for breakfast (like i did in the pics), use it as a cupcake or macaron filling, as mini tarts or add in some butter and make it a cream tart or even as a twist to your good old classic s'mores. i've actually seen pinterest pins of lemon curd s'mores. they look really tasty and i cannot wait to try it when i get around to having a s'mores craving. actually, come to think of it, i should definitely try it out since i do have a bag of open marshmallows hanging around my pantry. might as well use that up before it goes bad.

below's the recipe for this yummy meyer lemon curd. i grabbed it from one of my MIL's cookbooks. it's an ancient looking one with just all text, but i have to say, some of the recipes in there are delicious. maybe one of these days i'll go through it and pick certain ones out and make them and take (gorgeous) photos of the outcome. i bet they would look scrumptious. hehe ;) yeah, we'll see about that. one of these days, maybe.

okay, so i love my lemon curd pretty sour. the more tart it is, the better. the original recipe actually calls for 6 oz of sugar but i only put in half of it. of course, if you like yours sweet, then maybe add more sugar than i did or go all the way up to the 6 oz. personally, i would just hang out at 2-3 oz. up to you anyway. let me know what you think if you do make this. enjoy! :)


who doesn't love lemon curd? these meyer lemons make the perfect curd for morning toasts, afternoon tea sandwich cookies or yummy cupcake fillings.

meyer lemon curd

ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3-6 oz granulated sugar (about 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup, use the higher amount if you like your lemon curd sweet, less if you're like me and prefer it more on the tart side)
• 1/3 cup meyer lemon juice (it took me 2-1/2 good size meyer lemons, you may need more or less depending on yours)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 egg white

directions:
combine all ingredients in a saucepan and put it over medium heat. stir the mixture until it reaches a honey-like consistency. turn off the heat and strain the lemon curd using a sieve. store in an airtight container. keep refrigerated.

makes about a cup. enjoy and happy eating! :)

tartine's lemon cream tart

it seems like lemons are popping up everywhere these days. it is definitely lemon season you can say! a couple of weeks ago a friend gave me some meyer lemons from her garden. i knew exactly what i wanted to make with it. for sure some lemon curd and maybe some lemon cake or something lemony anyway. upon researching different lemon curd recipes i discovered tartine's lemon cream tart. i've gone to tartine multiple times, but i've yet to try their lemon tart. i don't know… must be because it's always so crowded there (the lines are ridiculous no matter what time of day – this place is hugely popular here in sf) that i feel a bit overwhelm sometimes even when i know exactly what i want to get (usually a morning bun and/or almond croissant).

okay, so after reading what it would take to make tartine's delicious lemon tart (as attested by many who've tried it and have made it themselves), i decided i too would attempt to make this yummy piece of goodness. so… how did it turn out? absolutely delicious! it is so lemony, creamy… and just so, so, good. even if you're not a fan, i say you fall in love it (and become a fan!?! =/). and if you are, you've got to make this! i love how the sweet dough for the tart gives that perfect amount of sweetness to offset the tartness from the lemon cream. everything just works well together in one scrumptious bite.

below is the recipe should you want to try and make this. it's super easy to make. usually i don't care for pie/tart dough because it's such a pain sometimes, but this one is a piece of cake. and the lemon cream is nothing if you've done plenty of double boiler stuff before. actually, even if you haven't, just follow the recipe and everything will turn out fabulous.

good luck and let me know how yours turn out! happy baking and eating, as always.





sweet tart dough
by tartine (makes 4 9-inch tart shells or twelve 4-inch tartlet shells)

1 cup + 2 tbsp (9 oz/255 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (7 oz/200 grams) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups (17 1/2 oz/500 grams) all-purpose flour

directions:

1. using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt and mix on medium speed until smooth.
2. mix in 1 egg. add the remaining egg and mix until smooth. stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3. add the flour all at once and mix on low speed just until incorporated.
4. on a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1/2 inch thick. wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight or freeze 3 for future use (this dough will keep for up to 3 weeks).
5. to line a tart pan, place a dough disk on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/8 inch thick, rolling from the center toward the edge in all directions. lift and rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few strokes, dusting underneath as necessary to discourage sticking, and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm. cut out a circle 2 inches larger than the pan. if the dough is still cool, carefully transfer the circle to the pan, easing it into the bottom and sides and then pressing gently into place. if the dough has become too soft to work with, put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up before transferring it to the pan. if the dough develops any tears, just patch with a little extra dough, pressing firmly to adhere. trim the dough level with the top of the pan with a sharp knife. place the pastry shell in the refrigerator or freezer until it is firm, about 15 minutes.
6. if you are making tartlet shells, roll out the dough in the same way, cut out circles according to the size of your pans, and line the pans. the rest of the dough, including the scraps, can be frozen for future use.
7. preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
8. dock (make small holes in) the bottom of the tart shell or tartlet shells with a fork or the tip of a knife, making tiny holes 2 inches apart. place in the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes for a partially baked large shell or 5 to 7 minutes for tartlet shells. the pastry should be lightly coloured and look dry and opaque.
9. let cool completely on wire racks. the pastry shells will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

lemon cream
by tartine (about 2.5 cups /625 ml)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (5 oz/155 ml) lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup (6 oz/170 g) sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup (8 oz/225 g) unsalted butter

directions:

1. pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
2. combine lemon juice, whole eggs, yolk, sugar and salt in a stainless steel bowl on top of double boiler. whisk ingredients constantly for 10-12 minutes until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180°F on a thermometer.
3. emote the bowl from over the water and stirring from time to time to release the heat.
4. meanwhile, cut butter into 1 tbsp-pieces. when the cream is ready, using either a regular blender, or an immersion blender, add 1 piece of butter at a time to lemon mixture, blending after each addition of butter. the cream will be pale opaque yellow, and quite thick.
5. you can use the cream immediately, or pour it into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

to assemble the tart

have the tart shell ready for filling. pour the lemon cream directly into the cooled tart shell. shake the tart pan gently to smooth out the top of the filling. chill the tart until firm, about 2 hours before serving.

that's it, enjoy!