the perfect lemon tart

PASTRY
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence

rub butter into flour
stir in icing sugar
add egg and vanilla essence
add cold water
bake blind at 200C in 9 inch tart tin (approx 10 minutes)

CURD FILLING
6 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cups castor sugar
4 oz unsalted butter
rind and juice of 4 lemons

put eggs, sugar and butter into a pan
stir over low heat until sugar has disolved completely
add lemon rind and juicecontinue cooking until curd has thickened slightly
pour into pastry case
bake for 20 minutes until just set

allow to cool and then dust with icing sugar