Creamy Lemon Tart

Creamy Lemon Tart (adapted from Bakerette)

Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 1 Tb powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

10 Tb cold butter, cut into chunks

Filling:

5 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest it before juicing the lemon)

Juice of 2 large lemons, about 1/2 cup, a little more or less is fine(do NOT use concentrated lemon juice)

Topping:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 oz cream cheese, softened

5 tablespoons powdered sugar

Grease an 8-9 inch tart pan with removable bottom and set aside.

Crust: Add all of the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until dough starts to form and clumps together. (You can also rub the butter in with your fingers, or beat together in a mixer. Mixture will be crumbly) Transfer to the prepared tart pan and press the dough out and up the sides of the pan with your fingers, as evenly as possible. Using the tines of a fork, pierce the bottoms and sides of the pastry a few times to keep from puffing out while baking. Place the crust in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove crust from the freezer and bake on a baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Filling: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixxing well and scraping down the sides after each. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and continue to blend until smooth.

Pour filling into prepared crust and bake on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes or until filling is set. (no longer wiggly) Remove and let cool on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes. Cover and place in the refrigerator until well chilled.

Topping: Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add heavy cream and beat until the cream begins to thicken and soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, still beating, until cream forms stiff peaks. (Stop before it starts looking lumpy!) You can serve this topping separately, like whipped cream, or smooth/pipe over the top of the tart.