This easy yet elegant tart is just the thing for a delightful afternoon tea in the garden.

Ingredients: (Serves 6-8)

• 1 recipe basic sweet crust
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 120 ml/4 fl oz fresh lemon juice
• 6 large egg yolks
• 225 g/8 oz caster sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Zest of 3 lemons
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 1 lemon, sliced

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Roll out the pastry dough and line a 23-cm/9-inch tin. Prick the surface with a fork and chill for 10 minutes in the freezer. Bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the base of the tart with lightly beaten egg. Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the base of the crust is golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk the lemon juice, egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a heavy-based saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Take care not to let the mixture boil. When the curd is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, until melted. Strain the curd through a fine sieve into a medium bowl and stir in the lemon zest. Pour the lukewarm curd into the tart shell. For ease of slicing, chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with lemon slices. Refrigerate any remaining pie for up to 3 days.

Quick and easy shortcut: Replace the lemon filling with 500 ml/171/2 fl oz lemon curd.