Shiso Lemon Tart

a unique tart that's perfect for spring turning into summer

There’s a cafe in Los Angeles called Modu that had a perilla lime tart that I really wanted to try but was unable to since it was seasonal! I love the korean perilla leaf but especially love the japanese shiso leaf. Though they’re the same plant, I assume, they taste very different! I was reminded of my shiso lemon ice cream that I made before and so wanted to tackle making the very same combination but in tart form! The use of making candied perilla leaves is so smart since many people make candied mint leaves and perillas are a cousin of mint!

The candied shiso leaves require the use of a raw egg white. If you are uncomfortable with consuming eggs raw, I’ve seen recipes that use sugar syrup instead.

I referenced Pastry Living with Aya’s lemon meringue tart recipe found here.
I use a 9.5” tart round.

Ingredients

Candied Shiso Leaves
12 shiso leaves
1 egg white (save the yolk for the curd)
Sugar

Tart Dough
250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
35 grams (1/3 cup) almond flour
105 grams (1/2+1/3 cups) powdered sugar
1 pinch salt
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
1 egg

Lemon Shiso Curd
150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
12 grams (1.5 tablespoons) corn starch
4 eggs
3 yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
Zest from 2 lemons
160 grams (2/3 cup) lemon juice
6-8 shiso leaves
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

Meringue
2 egg whites (saved from the curd)
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
55 grams (1/4 cup) water

Garnish
Lemon zest
1 shiso leaf, minced

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Directions

1. Candied Shiso Leaves
   -Wash and thoroughly dry your shiso. Crack an egg and separate the yolk from the white. Place the yolk in a Tupperware and save it in the refrigerator for later use. Give the egg white a slight mix to loosen it up.
   -Using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg white onto 12 shiso leaves both front and back, one at a time. After brushing one leaf, sprinkle an ample amount of sugar on top of it, then flip it over and sprinkle sugar onto the back. Place the sugar-covered shiso onto a parchment lined tray, making sure none of the leaves are touching each other.
   -Once all of the leaves are coated and placed on the tray, let them sit out at room temperature for 12-24 hours. The leaves with crisp up and harden.

2. Tart Dough 1
   -Combine 250 grams flour, 35 grams almond flour, 105 grams powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix so that everything combines.
   -Now add 9 tablespoons of cold cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Mix on low to medium speed until the butter becomes dispersed within the flour making the mixture look sandy.
   -Then add 1 beaten egg to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until the dough starts to clump together and form. It won’t look like it will all combine from the start but will eventually happen.
   -Split the dough in half and cover each half with plastic wrap forming the dough into disc shapes. Transfer them to the refrigerator to rest for 2 hours.

3. Shiso Lemon Curd 1
   -As the dough rests, it’s time to make the curd. Mix together 150 grams sugar and 12 grams corn starch in a bowl.
   -In a pot or sauce pan, add 4 eggs and 3 egg yolks. One yolk was saved from the candied shiso leaves made the day before. Also, be sure to reserve the 2 egg whites from the yolks, since they will be used for the meringue that is made later. Mix the eggs together. Then add the sugar and corn starch to the eggs and mix until combined. Finally, add the zest of two lemons, 160 grams lemon juice and 6-8 chopped and crushed shiso leaves. Mix everything together.
   -Heat the pot over medium low heat while you continuously whisk the mixture. It will start to thicken. Once your see it start to boil, give it a few more seconds then remove it from the heat. Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve. Then cover the curd with plastic wrap, touching the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Set the curd aside to cool completely to room temperature.

4. Tart Dough 2
   -Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
   -Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out on top of some parchment paper. Using parchment paper will make transferring the dough much easier. Roll out the dough and then use a 9.5” tart ring to cut out a round. Transfer this round to a baking tray with a silicone baking mat on top of it. Roll your second dough out to make long strips of dough. Place your dough round and strips in the fridge to harden a bit.
   -Butter your tart ring. Then place your tart ring onto your dough round. Place your dough strips onto the inner edge of the tart ring so that the tart ring is completely covered, making sure that each end of the strip is layering over the other. (This is so difficult to explain and I would recommend just watching the video on how to do it! haha). Press the dough together. Then use a pairing knife to cut off any excess dough.
   -Dock the dough with a fork. Then bake it in a 350 degrees F oven for 15-20 minutes until it is golden brown. Once baked, let it cool completely.

5. Shiso Lemon Curd 2
   -Transfer your cooled curd to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix the curd on medium for a bit to loosen it up. Then add 8 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter. Whisk until everything is fully combined, making sure to use a spatula to get ever nook and cranny.
   -Add all of your curd to the cooled tart shell. Using an offset spatula, smoothen the top. Then transfer your tart to the refrigerator to set.

6. Meringue
   -Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cut water to a saucepan. Heat it over medium heat.
   -As the sugar water is heating, add 2 egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on low.
   -Once the syrup boils and reaches 240 degrees F, immediately transfer it to the stand mixer. Increase the mixing speed to medium high and slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites making sure that the syrup hits the edge of the bowl first before mixing in with the whites. After all of the hot syrup is poured, keep mixing until stiff peaks form.
   -Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a St Honor piping tip.

7. Assembly
   -Pipe the meringie onto the curd. It will not completely cover the tart.
   -Use scissors to cut your candied shiso leaves in half, or keep them as is. Decorate the edges of the tart with your candied leaves.

8. Enjoy! I like having extra candied shiso leaves on hand, especially for parts of the tart where the slices will have only meringue on top.

Is this a flavor combo that you would be interested in trying?