Happy Saturday!
I’ve had a great weekend already, and it’s only Saturday night – two G&S shows, quality time with fave human & great friends, and lots of sleep… no complaints.
Also, there was tart! (it has since been demolished)
No, your eyes are not deceiving you…. the crust is in fact green! There is matcha sneaking around in there – not a ton, just enough to bring an earthy balance to the tart lemon curd. I LOVE meyer lemon season – arguably, they are one of my favorite citrus (though I quite possibly say that about ALL citrus…), and I also love matcha. I was initially unsure about the combination of matcha and lemon, but it turned out to be a happy experiment that worked out quite nicely.
As usual – great dessert, equally great breakfast. Here is a photo essay of the tart getting slowly eaten over the course of making breakfast, before we actually sat down (in our defense, we both woke up hungry! ha)
Gluten free & refined sugar free – in fact, this has very little maple in it, even as far as my desserts go – only one tbsp in the curd and two in the crust! That’s a big win in my book.
Happy weekend!
Meyer Lemon Tart with a Matcha Crust
Tangy, tart and delicious. Perfect spring dessert that is light and fresh – meyer lemons really shine here, if you can find them. The lemon curd can be made several days in advance and refrigerated, if you need to split up the baking time. Gluten free and refined sugar free. A Wait are Those Cookies original. Yield: 1 9″ tart, serves several.
For the crust:
1.5 c almond flour
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c cornmeal
heaping 1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp matcha
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
In a large bowl, stir together almond flour, shredded coconut, cornmeal, sea salt, baking soda, and matcha. Add in vanilla, maple, and melted coconut oil, and stir until completely combined. The dough will look crumbly, but you’ll be able to press it together with your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 350, and lightly grease a 9″ tart pan (w/ removable bottom) with coconut oil. Press the crust into the plate and up the sides with a spoon or your fingers, creating a smooth edge (or not, your call!). Poke the bottom with a fork a few times, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes. Increase oven temp to 375.
Maple Lemon Curd*:
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/3 c lemon juice
zest of 4 lemons
pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
*I made a batch and a half for a higher curd to crust ratio – feel free to do like I did. If you do, use 3 whole eggs & 4 yolks + another half of all other ingredients listed except maple (I like my curd to be tart!)
I used a double boiler for this lemon curd, which is a game changer. Highly recommended! Heat water in the bottom of the double boiler until it’s at a high simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, sea salt, and maple syrup. Add in the butter one tbsp at a time, whisking continuously, not adding the next tbsp until the first is completely melted. Whisk in vanilla. Cook, stirring constantly, until the lemon curd thickens and will coat the back of a spoon (or your whisk leaves tracks) – usually around 5 to 8 minutes. It’s a noticeable change when it happens, so just watch the cooking magic! Remove from heat, strain through a fine mesh strainer, and store in a glass container in the fridge until ready for use.
Pour the curd into the crust and smooth the top. Bake at 375 for 8-12 minutes, until the curd is barely set. Cool completely before slicing and serving – store in the fridge until serving and keep leftovers covered in the fridge.
Wait...are those...cookies?! 