This recipe is an all-time favourite – simple enough to whip up in no time, yet with a delightful, addictive lemony creamy texture.
Prep Time 30 Minutes
Serves 2
Cook Time 30 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
Ingredients
For the Pastry:
- Plain flour: 125g / 4oz / 1 cup
- Salt: a pinch / 1/4 tsp
- Sugar: ½ tsp
- Cold butter: 75g / 2.5 oz / 1/3 cup
- Cold water: roughly 2 tbsps
For the Custard Filling:
- Lemons: 2 good-sized & unwaxed if possible
- Eggs: 3 large
- Sugar: 100g / 3.5 oz / 1/2 cup
- Butter: 30g / 1 oz / 1/8 cup
- Milk: 1 cup
For the Gelato:
- Double cream / whipping cream: 1 cup
- Egg yolks: 3
- Sugar: 1/4 cup
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 1/4 cup
Method
Pastry:
- Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Mix in 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a firm dough. Knead on a floured board without overworking. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Grease an 18cm/7-inch pie dish or flan tin. Roll out the pastry to about 5 cm/2 inches larger than the tin. Lay it across the dish, press into the corners, and leave the edges untrimmed.
- Cover the pastry base with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for about 20 minutes until it starts to change colour and firms up.
- While the pastry bakes, peel the zest from one lemon, cut into strips, and squeeze the juice from both lemons.
Custard:
- Mix eggs, sugar, and butter in a pan over a bain-marie. When it thickens, add lemon juice and zest, stir, and remove from heat.
- Remove the baking beans, pour the custard over the pastry, and decorate with lemon slices. Bake for about 10 minutes until set. Cool and serve warm or cold.
Olive Oil Gelato:
- Use Nudo extra virgin olive oil for a flavorful ice cream. Bring milk and cream to a boil in a saucepan, then quickly remove from heat.
- Whisk egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in olive oil. Slowly whisk in the hot cream and milk.
- Return the mixture to low heat, stirring until it thickens and reaches 185°F on an instant-read thermometer. Let it cool.
- Pour the cooled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn for about 10 minutes or until creamy.