# Lemon Tart Problems



## lissancm (May 4, 2012)

I had attempted lemon tart recipes over the years, each and every recipes have their weaknesses. Recently, I found a lemon tart recipe that taste just perfect and very easy to make from Rachel Allen.  

So everything went well, including the tart & love the tangy lemon filling too.

My problem is all the liquid that is coming out on the bottom of the tart pan. 

But the crust is blind baked & not soggy at all. So where is all the juice/liquid coming from??

Thank you in advance!!


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

Welcome to Cheftalk Lissan,

I don't know ? Maybe its your filling. I use one which is quite easy to make (BF). Makes roughly 6 cups.

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pound 8 ounces sugar

12 whole eggs

4 egg yolks

Finely grated lemon zest of 4 lemons

2 ½ cups fresh lemon juice.

Mix cornstarch and sugar together. Mix in the eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice, stir till well combined. Try not to whip the mixture.
Place the lemon custard over a bain marie and heat, stirring constantly until the filling has thickened.
What do you put in your filling ?

Petals.


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## dobzre (Mar 3, 2011)

that liquid could be syneresis, the natural expulsion of water from a protein or gel matrix i.e. your eggs. Describe the filling to me. If its a lemon curd filling its an easy fix by tweaking the recipe, emulsifying with butter with an immersion blender will keep syneresis at bay a little longer, adding gelatin even more so. If its a raw custard filling that is baked in the shell you might be cooking too hard and fast.


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## petalsandcoco (Aug 25, 2009)

I find your comments enlightening Dobzre, and also a good technique. I thought of a few other things last night, probably nothing really important, but troubleshooting some more...

Moisture can develop between the filling and meringue
Adding ¼ tsp of corn starch and a tablespoon of water , mix into the meringue will help stiffen it.
keeping the meringue at room temperature while the pie filling cooks helps keeps it from sweating later. Cool fillings on hot / vice versa creates condensation


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## lissancm (May 4, 2012)

filling ;

3 eggs

1 lemon zest

125 gr caster sugar

150 ml double cream

3 lemons, juice only

1 orange, juice only

I am planning to try again with the same recipe just to see if i get the same problem. 

Btw, no meringue on top.


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