Honey and Lemon Tart

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The long awaited Honey and Lemon Tart has finally made it’s way to the blog…..Phew!  In fact I think I may have called it several different names over the past week. I am so sorry for any confusion and for the delay, but it was so worth it!  I finally have the website looking “closer” to what I had been dreaming about since the beginning.  It still needs a few tweaks here and there, but the basics are done!  So, no more distractions…..hahaha 🙂

In Greece, this tart is made with manouri, a soft, sweet cheese.  Well I live in Iowa, and that is not an option.  I found options for cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and cream cheese as  substitutes.  Being lactose intolerant, that meant that I was using non-dairy cream cheese!  I also could not find Greek honey, so I went with the most aromatic local honey that I could find.   You just have to go with what ya’ got!

Remember, the inspiration here is sunshine for our Leo friends….and I think we have achieved that.  I did not realize that I do not own a 9″ tart pan, until after I had started making the dough.  I do not know how that is possible, but it is true.  I do own mini tart pans however, and decided to give that a try.  I should probably also point out that I have never made a tart before, which will make my mistake make sense!  In my math challenged brain, I assumed that I could use (4) 4″ tart pans and that would equal (1) 9″ tart pan.  Size wise that is probably true, volume wise…..not so much.

How to make Honey and Lemon Tarts:

For the Crust:

Add the flour, salt, sugar, and butter to the bowl of a food processor.*

Pulse in short bursts until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle with water until mixture forms a smooth dough.

Wrap in waxed paper and chill for 30 minutes before use.

For the Filling:

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and honey until smooth.

Add the eggs, cinnamon, lemon rind, and lemon juice, and mix until combined.

On a floured surface (or between 2 sheets of waxed paper) roll out the dough to fit a 9″ tart pan. Alternately, use 6- mini tart pans.

Place on a baking sheet and line with wax paper. Fill cavity with pie weights, or beans, and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the waxed paper and weights, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the base is firm but not brown.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pour the filling into the tart pan(s) and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until set.

Serve cold. Garnish with lemon slices if desired.

Note:

*Alternate Method – The pastry can be made in a bowl by rubbing together with your hands, or using a pastry cutter.

Do you see how thick that crust is?  So, use 6 mini tart pans if you do not have a 9″ pan!  Lesson learned 🙂  You will also be able to serve more people if you are dividing a larger tart!  Mine was an imaginary romantic dinner for two, so that didn’t really matter.  Even with the wrong pan, this tart was delicious!

If you have not been following along, this is the dessert for my Cooking with Astrology meal for Leos.  We started with a Greek Orange and Olive Salad.  Followed by Lamb and Vegetable Kabobs, served with Tomato Pilaf and Cucumber and Yogurt Dip.  Next up, Papaya Mango Parfait for breakfast!

Enjoy!!

Honey and Lemon Tart

This Honey and Lemon Tart is rich, creamy and the perfect way to end a meal!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: honey, lemon, tart, recipe, greek, cream, cheese

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 617kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons super fine sugar
• 13 Tablespoons unsalted butter 5 1/2oz, cut into cubes
• 1/8 Tablespoon salt
• 3 - 4 Tablespoons ice cold water

For the Filling

• 1 1/3 cups cream cheese or ricotta (I used non-dairy)
• 6 Tablespoons orange blossom honey
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 medium lemon juice and grated rind

Instructions

For the Crust:

• Add the flour, salt, sugar, and butter to the bowl of a food processor.*
• Pulse in short bursts until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Sprinkle with water until mixture forms a smooth dough.
• Wrap in waxed paper and chill for 30 minutes before use.

For the Filling:

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and honey until smooth.
• Add the eggs, cinnamon, lemon rind, and lemon juice, and mix until combined.
• On a floured surface (or between 2 sheets of waxed paper) roll out the dough to fit a 9" tart pan. Alternately, use 6- mini tart pans.
• Place on a baking sheet and line with wax paper. Fill cavity with pie weights, or beans, and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.
• Remove the waxed paper and weights, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the base is firm but not brown.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pour the filling into the tart pan(s) and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until set.
• Serve cold. Garnish with lemon slices if desired.

Notes

*Alternate Method - The pastry can be made in a bowl by rubbing together with your hands, or using a pastry cutter.

Nutrition

Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Sodium: 352mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 31.8% | Vitamin C: 11.6% | Calcium: 8.2% | Iron: 13%