This silky lemony tartlet with perfect notes of pistachio is quite simply a morning celebration to call you from your slumber.

Sweets for breakfast. Yes, one of my vices.

Now. I do not underestimate the existence of energy derived from a healthy breakfast. After all. Breakfast is the fuel that runs my engine for hours to come. So. Most mornings breakfast is nutritious. Blueberries, kefir, and toasted walnuts. Quinoa pancakes with a fried egg and avocado slices. Or creamy peanut butter spread on Ezekiel bread topped with applesauce and ground flax seed.

I can be quite predictable when it comes to breakfast. And I rely on the seasons to refresh my palette. But one things with little revision is my cup of black tea with the perfect proportions of honey, cinnamon, and coconut milk. What is it that makes a spot of tea or a cup of joe so irresistible in the morning? The jolt of caffeine? Certainly.  But I think it is something more. For me, maybe its a reminder to take a few moments of quite and calm while i sip before me mind scurries from lists to meetings to deadlines.

But now and then I like to indulge my morning with something unexpected and sweet. A piece of warm pie, rich dark chocolate cake or in this case a silky lemony tartlet with perfect notes of pistachio. A little zing, first thing in the morn, to awaken my senses.

I substituted 40g of all-purpose flour with ground unsalted pistachios. Add pistachios to food processor and pulse until mealy. The pistachio is subtle but unexpected. For the fillings I used the juice from fresh squeezed lemons a couple of weeks ago and farm fresh eggs.

Makes five 3-inch tartlets // Crust provided by SF Institute of Baking and the Lemon Filling courtesy of Cook’s Magazine

Crust

165g All-purpose flour
71g Powdered sugar
1g Baking powder
74g Butter
56g Egg yolks
33g Almond flour
1g Salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Sift the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and almond meal and add to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle.
Add the butter and mix on medium low speed until mealy (course corn meal texture).
Add the egg yolks and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.
Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least four hours before rolling.
Use parchment paper to roll out. Sometimes I place a yardstick on each side of the disc while I roll out dough to help get the correct thickness. Do not pull or stretch dough when forming to mold. Trim edges at an angle starting with the outside. Place tartlets on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust turns golden brown.

Silky Lemon Filling

3-4 large egg yolks, plus 1 egg
1/2c plus 1 tablespoon of natural cane sugar
1/3c fresh squeezed lemon juice, plus 1/8c of finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (I used coconut milk)

Preheat oven to 375F.
In a medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together yolks and whole egg until combined, about 5 seconds. Add sugar and whisk until combined, about 5 seconds. Add lemon juice, zest, and salt; whisk until combined, about 5 seconds. Transfer mixture to medium nonreactive saucepan, add butter pieces, and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly with wooden spoon until curd thickens to a sauce-like consistency and registers 170F on an instant read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour curd through single-mesh stainless steel strainer set over clean nonreactive bowl. Stir in heavy cream; immediately pour into warm tartlet shells.
Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and until the center is set, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature before removing molds. Sprinkle with ground pistachios.