Yuzu Curd Tart

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190°C. In a bowl, mix the plain flour, icing sugar, and salt. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining; those small butter pieces help the shell stay tender and crisp.

   90 g plain flour25 g icing sugar45 g cold unsalted butter, diced1 pinch fine salt
2. 2

   Add the egg yolk and ice water, then bring the dough together just until it forms a cohesive mass. Do not knead; overworking develops gluten and makes the tart tough. Press into a 10-12 cm tart tin or two 8 cm tartlet tins, pushing the dough evenly up the sides. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes until firm.

   1 yolk (18 g) egg yolk10 g ice water
3. 3

   Dock the base lightly with a fork. Bake the shell for 14-16 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the base looks dry. If the base puffs, gently press it down with the back of a spoon as soon as it comes out. Cool the shell for 5 minutes in the tin, then carefully unmould onto a rack.

4. 4

   While the shell bakes, make the curd. In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the yuzu juice, caster sugar, whole egg, egg yolks, and salt until smooth. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and cook, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the curd thickens to about 78-82°C and coats the spatula heavily, 6-8 minutes. Keep the heat gentle so the eggs do not scramble.

   70 g yuzu juice60 g caster sugar1 large (50 g without shell) whole egg2 yolks (36 g) egg yolks1 pinch fine salt
5. 5

   Remove the bowl from the heat. Add the butter a little at a time, whisking until fully melted and glossy before adding more. For an extra-smooth finish, strain the curd through a fine sieve.

   55 g unsalted butter
6. 6

   Pour the warm yuzu curd into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top. Chill for 15 minutes, just until set enough to slice cleanly but still silky in the centre.

7. 7

   Finish with the yuzu zest and, if you like, a very light dusting of icing sugar. Slice and serve slightly cool, not fridge-cold, so the citrus aroma is most pronounced.

   1 tsp yuzu zest1 tsp (optional) icing sugar

Origin & History

Yuzu, a highly aromatic East Asian citrus, has long been prized in Japan for both savory and sweet preparations. Modern yuzu curd tarts reflect a blend of Japanese ingredients with Western pastry technique, especially the classic butter tart and lemon curd tradition adapted to yuzu's floral sharpness.