The Lavender Dream Tart
Floral, golden, and impossibly creamy
Like pressed wildflowers…
INGREDIENTS:
Tart Shell
・ 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
・ ½ cup powdered sugar
・ ¼ tsp fine salt
・ ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
・ 1 large egg yolk
・ 1–2 tbsp cold water
Lavender Honey Mascarpone Cream
・ 250g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
・ ¾ cup heavy cream, cold
・ 3 tbsp lavender-infused honey (or 2 tbsp honey + ½ tsp dried culinary lavender)
・ 2 tbsp powdered sugar
・ 1 tsp vanilla extract
・ ½ tsp dried culinary lavender, finely ground
Lemon Curd Swirl
・ 3 large egg yolks
・ ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
・ ½ cup granulated sugar
・ ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed
・ 1 tsp lemon zest
Toppings
・ 2–3 honeycomb shards (store-bought or homemade)
・ Extra lavender honey, for drizzling
・ Dried lavender buds, for dusting
・ Thin lemon zest curls
The moment you lift the tart from the pan, you’ll catch it — that faint floral sweetness, the cool cream settling, the curd glinting like citrus gold under the light.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Tart Shell
Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl.
Add cold butter and rub together with fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Add egg yolk and 1 tbsp cold water — mix until dough just comes together.
Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness.
Press into a 9-inch tart pan, trim edges, and prick the base with a fork.
Freeze for 15 minutes, then blind bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes with weights.
Remove weights and bake a further 8–10 minutes until deep golden and dry.
Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Lemon Curd
Whisk egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar together in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened — about 8–10 minutes.
Remove from heat, add butter cubes, and stir until fully melted and glossy.
Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cold.
Lavender Mascarpone Cream
Beat mascarpone with powdered sugar, vanilla, and lavender honey until smooth.
Add cold heavy cream and whip to soft, billowy peaks — do not overbeat.
Fold in the finely ground lavender gently to keep the cream light.
Assembly
Spoon the mascarpone cream into the cooled tart shell and smooth the surface.
Drop small spoonfuls of lemon curd across the top in random clusters.
Use a skewer or toothpick to swirl the curd through the cream in slow, looping strokes.
Press honeycomb shards gently into the surface at different angles.
Drizzle with lavender honey in a slow, uneven stream.
Dust lightly with dried lavender buds and add lemon zest curls before serving.
