Ingredients

• 150g (5oz) plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 50g (2oz) icing sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg, whole
• 4 large egg yolks
• 150g (5oz) golden caster sugar
• zest of 4 lemons, zested
• 150ml (¼ pint) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 4 medium lemons
• 142ml carton double cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. First make the pastry: tip flour, a pinch of salt and butter into a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add icing sugar, pulse again, add egg yolks and pulse until mixture just holds together.
2. Knead gently on a lightly floured work surface to bring mixture together. Shape into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 25.5cm (10in) circle, 3mm (⅛in) thick. Use to line a 23cm (9in) x 2.5cm (1in) loose-based flan tin. Trim the excess pastry. Chill for 30 minutes.
4. Put tin on a baking sheet. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 8–10 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the oven. Reduce oven to 170°C (150°C fan) mark 3.
5. Meanwhile make the filling: put the whole egg, yolks and sugar into a bowl and beat with a balloon whisk until smooth. Carefully mix in the zest, lemon juice and cream. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
6. Ladle three-quarters of the filling into the pastry case, put the baking sheet in the oven and carefully spoon in the rest.
7. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until filling is just set around the edges but still slightly wobbly in the middle — it will firm up as it cools. Serve either just warm or chilled, dusted lightly with icing sugar.

Notes