Lemon Olive Oil Tart with Fennel Pollen Cream
Creamy, tangy lemon curd with a crunchy olive oil tart crust, soft whipped cream, and fresh fennel pollen.
Equipment
- 9" tart pan with removable bottom
Ingredients
Olive Oil Tart Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons high-quality olive oil
- 1/2 cup cold water
Lemon Olive Oil Curd
- 3 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, (2-3 lemons)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 ounces cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 tablespoons high-quality olive oil
Fennel Pollen Cream
- 1 teaspoon fennel pollen, (3-4 fennel umbels)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the crust:
- Butter a 9" tart pan with removable bottom.
- Whisk dry ingredients together. Add olive oil and mix until evenly distributed and mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add about half of the water and toss with a fork to combine. Continue to add more water, a tablespoon or so at a time, until mix almost comes together (you may not need all the water). Knead lightly just until dough comes together.
- Wrap dough in plastic and chill about 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a round, about 1/4" thick. Lay dough into prepared pan, trimming off any excess.
- Allow to chill another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425° F while resting.
- Line dough with parchment and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake about 15 minutes; remove weights.
- Poke dough all over with a fork and bake an additional 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked through.
- Allow to cool completely and remove from pan.
For the lemon curd:
- Place eggs, yolks, lemon juice, and sugar in a stainless steel bowl. Place on top of a sauce pot filled with an inch or two of water. Bring water to a simmer.
- Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add butter and olive oil; whisk.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Allow to chill completely.
- When curd and tart crust are cooled, pour lemon curd into prepared crust and smooth out with a spoon or offset spatula.
For fennel pollen cream:
- Roll fennel flowers in between your fingers to help release the pollen. Once you have collected about 1 tsp of pollen, crush with a mortar and pestle along with 1 tbsp of sugar. Or, use a small bowl and the back of a spoon. Sugar should turn yellow and become fragrant.
- Add fennel sugar to heavy cream in a medium bowl and whisk just until very soft peaks form.
- Serve the tart cold with dollops of fresh fennel pollen cream and sprinkles of additional fennel pollen.
Notes
Keep tart refrigerated and eat within 4 days for best flavor and texture.
Did you try this recipe?
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