Speculoos Lemon Tart

Speculoos Crust

• 30 speculoos cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)
• 2 ounces melted butter

Meyer Lemon Curd & Pie Filling

• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 3 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, best quality
• Bittersweet Chocolate or Candied Meyer Lemon Rind to garnish

1. Stir the melted butter into the crushed speculoos. Press the crumb crust into a tart pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate for one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the tart shell for 15 minutes, until it feels dry to the touch. Remove to a rack and cool completely.
3. Make the lemon curd. In a large double boiler or a bowl over simmering water, beat together the eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently, stirring all the while, to 170° - it will be all foamy.
4. Remove the curd from the heat and beat in the butter, piece by piece. The curd will thicken and get all smooth and silky. Stir in the extract and the zest. Set aside to cool. (Go ahead, lick the spoon. It's so good.)
5. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
6. Melt the bittersweet chocolate. Pour over the tart base, then spread from edge to edge in a thin layer. Refrigerate for an hour.
7. Assemble the tart. Fold the whipped cream into the lemon curd. With a flexible spatula, fill the tart shell with the lemon mixture. Smooth the top.
8. Decorate with finely chopped candied Meyer lemon rind or shaved chocolate curls. Serve as soon as possible. After four hours, the filling will start to weep. It will taste just as good, but won't be as pretty.