The food of Ireland is delicious, and that includes their desserts. If you’re looking for a good dessert to serve at your St. Patrick’s Day festivities, you’ll want to serve the following Irish Lemon Tart. The recipe has been adapted from one published several years ago in the Irish Times, and is worth every minute it takes to prepare it.

Although best served when freshly made, this yummy tart can be prepared the night before, and will keep well for a day or two after the holiday.

8 Servings

Crust:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, (1 stick)
1 egg yolk
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
3 large lemons
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Sweetened whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Spray a 9" tart pan (round or rectangular) with a removable bottom with non-stick spray.
3. Crust: Measure the flour, salt, and powdered sugar into the bowl of a food processor; cut the butter into chunks and process until the mixture looks like cornmeal.
4. Add the egg yolk and a tablespoon or two of ice water with the motor running. The dough should pull together; add a little more water if it is still crumbly.
5. Remove the dough to a floured surface; roll out to 1/4" thick and fit into the prepared tart pan; refrigerate until chilled.
6. Reroll the scraps and cut with a shamrock cookie cutter; sprinkle the cut outs with green sanding sugar and chill the shapes.
7. Spray a piece of foil with non-stick spray and press it onto the chilled crust; fill with dry beans to bake blind about 20 minutes. Bake the shamrock cutouts 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
8. Remove the foil and beans from the tart crust.
9. Filling: Zest the lemons and juice them (you should have just over 1/2 cup juice).
10. Measure the filling ingredients including the lemon zest and juice, into a blender container; blend on low speed (to eliminate bubbles) until smooth, scraping the sides once or twice.
11. When the crust is done, pour the filling into the crust.
12. Bake about 25 minutes or until the filling is set.
13. Remove from the oven, place the baked cutouts decoratively on the crust, and chill well before serving with sweetened whipped cream

Amount Per Serving
Calories 409 Calories from Fat 209
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 51% Protein 6% Carb. 43%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 23 g
Saturated Fat 13 g
Cholesterol 194 mg
Sodium 232 mg
Total Carbohydrate 44 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 19 g
Protein 7 g

Vitamin A 19% Vitamin C 36% Calcium 0% Iron 5%