Buy Alice in Bakingland by Alice Arndell (Harper Collins; £20)
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 200 g high grade flour
- ¼ cup icing sugar
- zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- 75 g cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup cold tonic water
For the filling:
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml cream
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
- 100 ml lemon juice
- 2 tbsp gin
For the syrup:
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- ½ cup tonic water
- juice and finely sliced zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp gin
- 3–6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
Method
To make the pastry, process the flour and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add zest and butter and process to fine crumbs. Add egg and tonic water and process until clumps form. Press together to form a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minute
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 23–25 cm loose-bottomed tart tin
Roll pastry out on a lightly floured bench until it’s big enough to line the tin (or is about 4 mm thick). Line the tin with the pastry. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, then chill for another 15 minutes
Blind bake the tart for 15 minutes, remove weights and bake for an additional 5–10 minutes or until bottom has dried out and edges are starting to colour. Set aside in tin on a wire rack
To make the filling, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Pour over cooked base. Bake for 10–15 minutes or until filling is just set. Watch carefully after the 10-minute mark to ensure you don’t overcook the tart. Cool on a wire rack
- To make the syrup, combine sugar, tonic water and lemon juice and place over a low heat. Stir
until sugar is dissolved, then add zest, gin and juniper berries. Boil for 10 minutes.
To serve, pour some of the syrup over the tart, slice and serve with extra syrup.