Lemon and White Chocolate Tart with Rum Sauce

  We're packing up and getting out of town.  I wish I could say that we're heading to a warm and sunny destination, but it's only Iowa.  Now, it should be warmer there than it is in Minnesota, but honestly, we're not expecting a great difference in the temperatures; maybe 10 degrees, and that would only put us in the 50's.  It will, however, be a change of scenery and right now that sounds very good to us.
  I will be posting recipes throughout the week.  The lemon tart that is pictured here is fabulous.  It's always been a favorite of mine.  A buttery tart crust filled with a very lemony curd.  Melted white chocolate is drizzled onto the tart and a white chocolate rum sauce is served along the side.  This tart would be a very nice dessert for your Easter table.  Enjoy!

    +  Lemon and White Chocolate Tart with Rum Sauce  +

Tart Dough:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons ice water
Lemon Curd:
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice

• Rum sauce (recipe below)

1.  To make the dough, combine the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add the butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas.  Add the ice water slowly and pulse only until the dough just begins to come together.  Chill the dough for 2 hours.  Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and line a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Chill the dough for 30 minutes, line with aluminum foil and dried rice or beans.  Bake in a 400˚F oven for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and beans and continue to bake the tart shell until golden brown. Remove and cool on a rack.
2.  Meanwhile, make the lemon curd by combining the sugar and eggs; beat until completely blended, then stir in the lemon juice.  Cook the mixture in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring constantly until the curd thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Transfer the curd to a bowl and set aside to cool.  When both the filling and tart shell have cooled, fill the shell with the lemon curd.

Rum Sauce:
• 8 ounces white chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 cup dark rum

1.  Melt the white chocolate along with the heavy cream in the top of a double boiler over simmering heat.  Remove from the heat.  When cooled somewhat and thickened, drizzle some of the sauce over the lemon curd.  To the remaining white chocolate sauce, add the rum and combine.  Serve alongside slices of the lemon tart.