8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Instructions
Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 1/8 ” thick circle. Line a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom with the dough. Pierce the bottom of the dough in a uniform pattern with a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Line the dough with a 13 to 14 inch round of parchment paper and fill with pastry weights or dried beans. Place the pan on a sheet pan. Bake for 15 min. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment and the weights. Continue baking until the pastry is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a ramekin. Let stand until the gelatin absorbs the water, about 5 minutes. Bring 1/2 inch of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place the ramekin in the water and stir constantly with a small silicone spatula until the gelatin is completely dissolved, at least 1 minutes. Remove the ramekin from the water.
Place the lemon curd in a large bowl. Stir 1 tablespoon of the cream into the gelatin. Whip the remaining cream in a chilled medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until the cream is well thickened but hasn’t formed peaks. With the mixer running, pour the gelatin mixture near the beaters so it is quickly and evenly distributed into the cream. Continue beating until the cream forms soft peaks. Stir one quarter of the whipped cream into the lemon curd to lighten it, then fold in the remaining cream.
Spread the lemon filling in the cooled pastry shell. Cover with plastic wrap, with the wrap not touching the pastry edges. (It will soften the crust) Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour.
Remove the plastic wrap. Arrange the strawberries, cut sides down, in concentric circles on the filling. Brush with the warm glaze. Remove the sides of the pan and serve at once.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TENDER PIE DOUGH
Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at high speed until the butter is smooth, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly dribble in the milk, occasionally stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The butter mixture should be fluffy, smooth, and shiny, like a buttercream frosting.
Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl. With the mixer speed on LOW, gradually add the flour mixture and incorporate just until the dough forms a mass on the paddle and the sides of the bowl are clean. Turn over the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead very gently until it is smooth. Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into a disk, about 1 inch thick. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until chilled but not hard, 30 minutes or so. The dough can be refrigerated up to 1 day but it will be very hard, and should stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling out. The dough can also be frozen, double wrapped in plastic, for up to 2 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR GLAZE:
Combine the preserves and water in a heavy-bottomed small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute. Strain through a sieve set over a small bowl and discard the solids. Let cool slightly, but use while warm.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR LEMON CURD:
Rinse the lemons under cold water and dry well. Using the small holes on a box grater or a microplane zester, remove the yellow colored zest from the lemons, being sure not to remove the bitter white pith. Cut and squeeze the lemons and strain the juice. You should have about 2/3 cup juice.
Place a heatproof medium bowl with a med. mesh wire sieve near the stove. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest to combine. Place over a saucepan of simmering water. Using a silicone spatula, cook the curd, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until it is opaque and thick enough to cling to the spatula, about 10 minutes. (A finger run through the curd on the spatula will cut a swath, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the curd will read 185 degrees)
Strain the mixture through the wire sieve into a med. bowl. (Use the spatula and stir the mixture to help it flow through the sieve and gently push the curd through the strainer. Gradually whisk in the butter, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the curd, and pierce a few holes to allow the steam to escape. Cool completely, transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Notes
You can also substitute Pastry Cream for the Lemon Curd.