Evoke springtime with this easy lemon tart recipe made with chamomile tea pastry and a dusting of chamomile-infused powdered sugar.
Commissioned recipe.
I love the beginning of spring, when the days grow long.
As the daffodils burst from beneath the thawing soil, I want to switch from stew to salad, from heavy spiced foods to zingy bright lemon.
This classic lemon tart (tarte au citron) is rich, flavourful and full of zing.
To highlight the sweet/sharp lemon filling, I've added some chamomile tea buds to the pastry. They add lovely floral notes that work beautifully with the lemon.
It's simple to make and bursting with zingy lemon against the fragrant subtle chamomile notes.
To further enhance the subtle taste of the fragrant chamomile, I've made a quick and simple chamomile-infused powdered sugar to dust the top with.
Simply whiz a few tablespoons of granulated sugar in the blender with chamomile for a flowery scented sugar.
How to make homemade pastry
Don't be put off by making your own pastry.
I promise that it's really easy. With just a few store-cupboard ingredients and a few minutes, you can quickly and easily make your own.
You will need:
Plain flour
Sugar
Salt
Cold butter
Egg yolk
Cold water
Chamomile tea (bags or buds)
You can easily make it by hand by rubbing the cold butter into the flour and then mixing in the yolk that has been stirred into the water.
However, my preferred method is by using a food processor. I like that I can just add all the ingredients and whiz until it comes together.
No sticky fingers! The advantage of using a food processor is that your hands don't warm the butter too much.
With pastry making, you want to keep things cold.
Another great part about making your own flaky, buttery homemade pastry is that you can add flavours, like this chamomile.
I also like to add cinnamon, chai spices and I even make vegetable pastry for desserts, like beetroot pastry.
What are the health benefits of chamomile tea?
- naturally caffeine free
- calming
- sleep-inducing properties
- relaxes muscles
- soothes anxiety
I infused the shortcrust pastry for this recipe with Chamomile tea from We Are Tea.
Why choose We Are Tea's chamomile infusion tea?
Our whole chamomile flower tea comes from the Egyptian plains and we use just the head to deliver the best tasting brew. These delicate chamomile flower heads are easily damaged as they are hand-picked, packed, transported etc. which inevitably leads to some dust. To minimise this, we recommend you treat your chamomile tea gently.
Did you know that “chamomile” derives from Latin and Greek and is less common than the French-derived “camomile”.
How to make the perfect cup of chamomile tea
Step 1: Use one whole leaf tea bag per cup or 1 tsp of loose buds in a stainer.
Step 2: Use freshly drawn boiled water. All herbal infusions can take full heat!
Step 3: Decide whether you want to leave your bag in and add ginger, lemon, or honey for a chamomile twist
Baking with tea
I love baking with tea. The rich aromas and flavours are perfect to add depth to all manner of desserts.
Check out my rooibos millionaire shortbread or beet chocolate truffles with smoky lapsang souchong tea.
How to make Chamomile Lemon Tart
1: crush the chamomile tea in a mortar and pestle
2: rub the butter into the flour until it forms crumbs, then add the yolk/water and mix with a knife until it comes together. Roll out on a lightly floured surface.
3: Line the pastry tin with the pastry, chill for 30 minutes, then line with baking paper and baking beans (or uncooked rice) and blind bake.
4: Whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth, mix in the cream then the lemon zest and juice. Pour into the pastry case and bake until just set.
Disclosure: This chamomile lemon tart recipe was commissioned by We Are Tea. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible for me to write this food blog.
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Lemon Tart with Chamomile Pastry
Ingredients
For the chamomile pastry
- 1 cup (170g) plain flour (all purpose), plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons chamomile tea leaves crushed in a mortar and pestle until fine
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 ½ oz (100g) cold butter cut into small cubes, plus extra for greasing
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons cold water
For the filling
- 6 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup (225g) caster sugar
- 1 cup (225ml) double cream / heavy cream
- 3 unwaxed lemons zest and juice
For the chamomile-infused powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon chamomile tea
Instructions
To make the chamomile pastry by hand
- Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl and stir in the crushed chamomile leaves. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- In a separate bowl or cup, mix the egg yolk and water, then add to the butter mixture. Mix with a butter knife until it forms a loose dough (add a little cold water sparingly, if required), then knead until smooth.
To make the chamomile pastry in a food processor
- Alternatively, make in a food processor: add the flour, sugar, salt, crushed chamomile tea leaves and butter to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until it forms small crumbs. Mix the yolk and water and add to the food processor. Whiz until it all comes together in a ball.
For both methods
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 3mm/ ⅛ inches thick and use it to line the prepared pie pan. Place in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Place the pie tin onto a baking tray. Line the base of the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans (or uncooked rice), then bake, on the the tray, for 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking beans and parchment, then cook for another 5 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and leave to one side.Reduce the oven to 160C/320F.
For the filling
- In a bowl, mix the whole eggs and extra egg yolk with the sugar until smooth, then stir in the cream. Add lemon zest and juice and gently mix - the filling will thicken.
- Pour the filling into the pastry case and carefully transfer the pie tin on the tray to the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until nearly set, but the centre is still a bit wobbly. Don’t overfill as the pastry could shrink a bit.
Allow to cool completely.
For the chamomile-infused powdered sugar
- Whiz the granulated sugar and chamomile tea in a blender until it turns into a fine powder.
Dust onto the completely cooled lemon tart.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Ian Ranghel-Smerdon
I really love the sound of this tart. I love ny recipes involving lemon anyway but the combination with Chamomile sounds really good.
Soniya
Oh my goodness!!this looks so scumpticous!! Very well explained recipe!
Christina Shoemaker
You had me at lemon! I really love the addition of the chamomile! That's just a fun and yummy pairing!!
Veena Azmanov
Wow, this LEMON TART so cute! I would love to eat him for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Natalie
This tart looks and sounds amazing! The combination of lemon and camomile sounds so interesting I have to try it!
Leslie
The chamomile is a surprising addition to this crust. I would love to try this. What a pleasant combination of flavors.