Roasted Lemon Tart

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch pre-made tart shell
• 2 large lemons, zested and juiced
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Set an oven rack in the middle and preheat to 450°F. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, using only part of the oil. Nestle the lemon halves together in the middle, cut sides facing up, then use the rest of the oil on their tops. Roast them for 25 to 27 minutes, until they look swollen, the edges are only starting to brown, and the foil beneath them has turned deep brown and sticky. Take them out and let them cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, press the lemons through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup until you have 1/2 cup juice. If the amount is shy of 1/2 cup, swish and squeeze the lemon halves in a little warm water, then add enough of that liquid to reach the mark. Put the juice aside. Finely chop half of a lemon peel so you have 2 packed Tbs., then reserve it and throw away the remaining lemons.
2. Add the flour, salt, lemon peel, and sugar to a food processor bowl. Pulse about 10 times to mix everything evenly. Drop in the butter and shortening, then pulse 20 to 22 times, stopping when the pieces of fat are pea-size or smaller.
3. With the machine pulsing, drizzle in 3 Tbs. water. Continue with more water, 1 Tbs. at a time, just until the dough gathers into big clumps without wrapping itself around the blade. Pinch a little between your fingers, and it should stay together. Turn the mixture out onto plastic wrap on your counter, bring it together with a gentle knead, and pat it into a disk about 7 inches across. Cover it snugly in the plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
4. Place the cold dough between lightly floured parchment sheets and roll it into a round about 13 inches wide and about 1/4 inch thick. Move it into a 9-1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, easing it in rather than pulling it. With lightly floured fingers, nudge the dough into the sides and corners. Roll over the rim with a rolling pin to cut away the extra dough. Chill the pan for 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Move a rack to the oven’s center and heat to 375°F. Set the tart shell on a large rimmed baking sheet. Coat a sheet of parchment lightly with cooking spray, then lay it sprayed side down against the dough. Fill the lined crust with dry beans or pie weights, and bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges have a pale golden-brown color.
6. Lift out the parchment and weights carefully. Slide the tart shell back into the oven and bake another 8 to 9 minutes, until it is lightly browned. Take it out. If the dough has bubbled, prick it gently with a fork so it settles back down. Let it cool all the way on a wire rack.
7. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the yolks, lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Keep whisking as it cooks for about 5 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Add the butter slowly, whisking as you go so it blends in smoothly. Take the pan off the heat and pass the curd through a strainer into a bowl, making sure to scrape the curd from the underside of the strainer. Spoon the curd into the cooled crust.
8. Press plastic wrap right onto the curd’s surface so it stays smooth. Refrigerate until the filling is fully chilled and set, at least 5 hours or up to overnight.
9. Put the cream and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the cream holds stiff peaks. Lay the caramelized lemon slices over the tart, and serve the whipped cream alongside.