Lemon Tart with Chocolate Almond Crust

The recipe for my Lemon Tart with Chocolate Almond Crust is from the January 2003 issue of Food and Wine.  I didn't save the magazine but I did scan the recipe.

The chocolate almond crust is delicious with lemon! Two of my favorite dessert food groups :-)  This time, I chose not to use the lemon filling called for in this recipe but used a different favorite filling from my Very Lemon-y Tart recipe. 

It's a delicious blast of lemon flavor with the zest and juice of 5 lemons!  I made one large tart to take to the party later and one little tart for my husband and I to enjoy the next two days. I made another half recipe of the lemon filling and it was just the right amount for one large and one small tart.

This tart can be garnished so many ways, with shaved chocolate as suggested in the recipe or as I'm planning on serving it as you see it above with a dollop of fresh, whipped cream and also some kiwi fruit sliced in the shape of footballs ;)

Lemon Tart with Chocolate Almond Crust
Adapted from the January, 2003 issue of Food & Wine Magazine
Printable Recipe

Makes one 11-inch tart and one 7-inch tart. You could also use the extra chocolate pastry to make about 12 rolled cookies.

CHOCOLATE PASTRY

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup almond flour (I finely ground 3-oz of blanched almonds)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg

LEMON CURD (for the above tart I used this lemon filling recipe instead of the one shown here)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
8 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
Bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE PASTRY: In a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, cocoa and salt; pulse to blend. Add the butter; pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the egg; process until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic, flatten into a disk and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to a 14-inch round 1/4 inch thick. Fit the pastry into the tart pan. Run the rolling pin across the rim of the pan to cut off any overhanging dough. Patch any tears in the pastry with scraps. Line the pastry with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust is nearly dry. Remove the foil and bake the crust for 15 minutes longer, or until firm. Let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 300°.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE LEMON CURD: Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of the sugar with the lemon juice and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. In another medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with the whole egg and the remaining 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of sugar. Whisk half of the hot lemon syrup into the egg mixture; add the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the curd just comes to a boil, about 3 minutes; it should be the consistency of sour cream. Strain the curd through the fine sieve and let cool to room temperature, then whisk in the softened butter until the curd is light and fluffy.

Pour the curd into the crust and bake for 20 minutes, or just until set. Cool the tart on a wire rack, then refrigerate until chilled. Unmold the tart and garnish it with chocolate shavings. Transfer the tart to a large plate and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The baked tart can be refrigerated overnight.