Basil & Lemon Tartlet - by Chef Christian Guzman
Ingredients for 10 Tartlets - Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
- 250 g all-purpose flour (T55)
- 125 g butter
- 100 g sugar
- 2 g salt (1/2 teaspoon)
- 1 whole egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
White chocolate vanilla basil ganache's ingredients
- Heavy cream (35% fat): 313 g
- White chocolate: 78 g
- Gelatin: 2.5 g
- Vanilla: 4.7 g
- Basil: 1.9 g
- Cream for infusing the basil: 31g
Lemon curd's ingredients
- Lemon juice: 175 g
- Sugar: 175 g
- Whole eggs: 206 g
- Butter: 113 g
- Gelatin: 3.75 g
- Fresh basil: 8.75 g
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!