Easy Tarte Citron

Tarte Citron is one of those classic desserts that are deceptively simple, yet take a lifetime to master. What follows is a much EASIER and quicker tarte citron that I promise you will enjoy. A few months ago, I ran a taste test with both the traditional method and this version, and we found that we liked both equally. The French version was more refined, but this version was creamier and a bit more decadent.

Now, if I wanted to impress someone and make homemade pastry, I would go for the classic. But often, I don’t want to make homemade pastry or do bain-maries, I just want a gorgeous lemony tart. As a result, there many shortcuts (i.e. the crust) and using condensed milk instead of creating a custard. That said, I recommend making sure the lemons are fresh squeezed, if possible. We love it, and I hope you do too.

Time: prep – 30 minutes, total – 2 hours

You will need:

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs or 5 graham crackers crushed
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 3 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
• 2 egg yolks, large
• 1 can condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (two large lemons)

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with rack on the lower level. Arrange pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Let cool. Juice your lemons.
2. In a food processor or blender, finely grind the graham crackers, sugar & pecans. Add the butter and combine.
3. Press this pecan mix into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan and bake until the crust is lightly browned (around 7-8 minutes).
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with condensed milk, and stir in lemon juice. Pour filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set (15-16 minutes).
5. Cool, and then chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of an hour.