This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour.

Ingredients

Pastry

250 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

65 g Icing sugar

~1/8 tsp Salt

125 g Butter (melted)

1 Egg yolk

10 g Vanilla bean paste

10 g Water

extra Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

Vanilla bean paste - The amount of paste used is approximately 1 tsp. I don't use a teaspoon measure to get the paste out I prefer to use a knife. I dip the knife into the paste, twist the knife when it is out of the paste so the paste doesn't fall off, then hold it over the melted butter & allow the paste to drip off. The drips get weighed. It is easier to scrape the remaining vanilla bean paste off the knife back into the jar than trying to get the last bit off a teaspoon.

Lemon filling*

300 g Caster sugar

5 Eggs

200 g Lemon juice (~4 lemons)

10 g Lemon zest (~4 lemons)

75 g Almond meal

250 g Butter 

* This amount of filling is sufficient for a round tart dish with a diameter of 28 cm. If using a smaller pan adjust the ingredients accordingly. 

Method

Pastry

Mix together the Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour, icing sugar & salt.

In another container melt the butter.

Add the water, egg yolk & vanilla bean paste to the melted butter. Stir to combine. Don't let this mixture cool.

Pour the melted butter mix over the combined dry ingredients & stir to combine.

It can be mixed by hand, fork or wooden spoon. Mechanical devices can over mix the dough very easily, it is best done by hand.

At this stage the dough will feel slightly greasy. Wrap the dough in plastic clingwrap or put it in a plastic bag & store in the fridge for approximately 1 hour. The dough can be frozen at this stage.    

Cooling the dough is important - after cooling the butter is fully absorbed, flexibility is increased & the dough is easier to handle.

Bring the dough out of the fridge, it will be quite hard.

Lightly dust a clean work surface (silicon mat, baking paper) with some of the extra Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour. 

Knead the pastry until it is soft enough to roll out.

To stop the pastry sticking to surfaces lightly dust them with some of the extra Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour.

Roll out the pastry to the required size. 

To ensure the dough is an even thickness follow this tip. Find 2 placemats (dinner setting - my placemats are ~4 mm thick) or two pieces of cardboard (2-3 mm thick) place one on either side of the dough. I have thrown away my cardboard pieces & now have stainless steel spacers 1 mm, 2 mm & 3 mm thick - they are much easier to clean. When rolling out the dough ensure the rolling pin is wide enough to span the dough and part of the top of the placemats/cardboard. My rolling pin is large – 61 cm from handle to handle. If your rolling pin is smaller it may be easy to half the dough. Initially when rolling the pin may not necessarily rest on the placemats/cardboard, however, when the dough is the same thickness as the placemats/cardboard it will. At this stage the dough should be all the same thickness.

Grease the flan/tart pan. I have used the rectangular flan pan (20 cm x 30 cm) pictured below and a round one with a diameter of 28 cm. 

Turn oven on to 170 C.

Roll out the dough to the required size on a clean mat/paper (It is easier to manipulate the dough when it is 3 mm thick as opposed to 2 mm).

Lightly dust the rolling pin with some of the extra Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour to stop the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the pan using the rolling pin. To get the dough onto the rolling pin lift up the mat/paper & drape it over the rolling pin. Peel off the mat/paper & move the rolling pin over the pan. Gently lay the dough into the pan. 

Gently push the dough into all corners & sides of the pan. If the dough breaks don't worry it is easy to patch. Trim the dough to slightly higher than the sides of the pan. 

The pastry needs to be baked beforehand. The best results are obtained if the dough is baked in the pan with nothing over the top of it (you don't need to do the traditional blind baking). The dough will sag a little from the top.  

Bake the dough for approximately 10 - 15 mins at 170 C. The actual baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the pastry & your oven.

Making the filling

Wash the lemons, zest & juice them.

Measure out 200 g of lemon juice & set it aside. Adjust the amount with water if necessary.

Turn oven on to 150 C.

I have made the filling using both methods & the Thermomix filling is slightly smoother than the one made in the stand mixer.

Thermomix

Put the eggs & sugar in the TM bowl with the butterfly attachment.

Mix at 37 C for 5 mins at speed 4.

While the eggs & sugar are mixing gently melt the butter in another container. It is best when the butter is just melted.

Add the almond meal, lemon zest & juice to the TM bowl.

Mix for 10 sec at speed 4 with the butterfly attachment.

Add the just melted butter & mix for 10 sec at speed 4.

Stand Mixer

Beat the eggs & sugar together until light & fluffy.

While the eggs & sugar are mixing gently melt the butter in another container. It is best when the butter is just melted.

Add in the almond meal, lemon zest & juice.

Gently mix to combine.

While still mixing slowly pour in the just melted butter. Stop mixing when it has all mixed in.

Both

Transfer the pastry lined pan to the oven. Bring out the rack a little with the pan on it. Pour in the filling & gently push the rack back into the oven. It is so much easier to do this than trying to carry it when it is full.

Bake the tart for approximately 30 - 45 mins. The time will depend on the size of the pan & your oven. To test if it is ready gently move the rack the pan is on if the filling doesn't wobble it is ready. If the filling wobbles it needs a little longer.

Let the tart cool down a little before serving with cream and/or ice-cream.