Basil & Lemon Tartlet - by Chef Christian Guzman

Tartlets's preparation 

• In the mixer bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix at speed 1.
• Add the butter cut into pieces. Mix until you get a fine and homogeneous sandy texture.
• Add the whole egg and vanilla extract. Mix until the dough forms.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Press the dough with the palm of your hand several times to form a ball.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough to line the tartlet molds.
• Prick the bottom of the tartlets with a fork.
• Cover with parchment paper and fill with apricot pits, dried beans or baking beads.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 220°C (428°F) for 10 to 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights for the last 4-5 minutes for even coloring. Monitor the baking process.

Ganache's preparation

• Put a little water in the bottom of the saucepan to prevent the cream from sticking.
• Add 156 g of heavy cream and bring to a boil with the vanilla.
• Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
• Add the gelatin to the hot cream and mix well.
• Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate to melt it, mix well.
• Add the remaining cream (156 g) and mix.
• Chop the basil and infuse it in 31 g of boiling cream for 10 minutes.
• Blend the basil-cream mixture and incorporate it into the ganache.
• Remove air from the ganache with an immersion blender, ensuring the head stays submerged.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lemon curd's preparation

• Bring the lemon juice to a boil with half the sugar.
• Whisk the eggs with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy.
• Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
• Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat until it reaches 80°C (176°F), not exceeding 84°C (183°F).
• Add the rehydrated gelatin and whisk.
• Gradually add the butter while whisking until fully incorporated.
• Pour the lemon curd into the tartlets and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Assembly

• After 24 hours of resting, whisk the ganache until it reaches a firm texture (soft peaks).
• Fill a piping bag with the ganache.
• Pipe 3 dollops of ganache onto each tartlet.
• Add lemon zest and fresh basil leaves.

Enjoy!