Summer seems to be a season when every ounce of time is planned. Warm Saturdays and Sundays are for weddings and boat trips and pool parties. Everyone wants to get the most out of the fleeting days and create memories to get them through the colder months. Listen, I love a good picnic, pool party and beach day, but I also love a warm summer day spent on my own with things that I love. One of my favorite days alone in the summer is spent with bubbles (like a can of Sofia Blanc de Blancs), Emily Post and this delicate and delicious tart (which I always end up sharing when the sun goes down). So mark your calendar “unavailable,” put your headphones on and take in the allure of solitude. You won’t regret it.

Citrus Tart

Ingredients

Tart Shell
6 TBSP unsalted butter
3 TBSP water
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 C Flour
Pinch of salt

Citrus Curd - this always makes more than necessary, but save it - jar it and have it on your toast in the morning!

¾ C fresh citrus juice (My favorite mixture is half meyer lemon and half grapefruit)
4 egg yolks
4 eggs
¾ C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
8 TBSP butter, cubes

3 C fresh raspberries to top

Make Crust

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In an ovenproof bowl, mix butter, water and oil. Place in oven for 8 minutes, until bubbling.
3. CAREFULLY REMOVE the bowl - it will be hot!! Add flour and mix together until a ball forms.
4. When cool enough, use your fingers to spread the dough into a 9-inch tart mold with a removable bottom (or two 5-inch molds if you’d prefer).
5. Prick a few holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork.
6. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake the crusts for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make Curd

1. In a medium sized saucepan, combine eggs, egg yolks, butter, sugar and citrus juice over medium heat.
2. Stir until the butter is melted in the liquid and then whisk until the mixture feels like a pudding and coats the back of a spoon.
3. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Pour directly into the baked tart shell.
5. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the curd is set.
6. Pull tart, let cool and right before serving arrange raspberries in circles, hugging the sides of the tart and moving inward.

Taking time for myself reminds me most of lazy days in beloved places and so this playlist is reflective of that feeling.

La belle et le bad boy - MC Solaar
City of Love - Persephones Bees
La femme d’argent - Air
Lemon Tree - Fools Garden
You Belong to me - Patsy Cline
La vie en Rose - Grace Jones
Better - Regina Spector
Werewolf - Fiona Apple
Saratoga Summer Song - The McGariggle Sisters
A Better Son/Daughter - Rilo Kiley

For more hot weather tracks, check out our new Sippin’ on Summer playlist on Pandora!