Ingredients:

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 teaspoons (or more) chilled whipping cream

1 egg white, beaten to blend

Filling
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel

Lemon slices (optional)

Directions:

For crust:
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Using on/off turns, blend in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 4 teaspoons cream. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in, pressing to form double-thick sides. Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 18 minutes (small cracks may appear). Brush inside of hot crust twice with egg white. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, cream, yolks, and eggs in bowl to blend well. Mix in lemon juice and lemon peel. Pour filling into warm crust. Bake until filling is slightly puffed at edges and set in center, about 30 minutes. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Preheat broiler. Place tart on baking sheet. Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent burning. Sprinkle tart with 2 tablespoons sugar. Broil tart until sugar melts and caramelizes, turning sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer tart to rack. Cool until topping is crisp, about 1 hour.

Push tart pan bottom up, releasing tart. Place on platter, garnish with lemon slices, if desired, and serve.

Notes:

I've made this twice now, and it was really good both times. You can spend money for a hand held torch to caramelize the sugar or you can just cover the crust and put it in the broiler. I think that the second is easier (and cheaper).

You do have to plan ahead when cooking this. With all the chilling, it is not something that you can make quickly. If you want it for supper that day, start by noon at least.

In place of using a tart pan with a removable bottom. I cut a piece of waxed paper the shape of the pan. Butter the pan and the paper on one side. Dust the buttered surfaces with flour. Place the waxed paper in the tart pan, floured side up. Proceed from there. When the tart is cooled, run a knife around the edge to loosen. Place a plate over the tart and invert. Although I am certain that it will happen sometime, I have yet to have one stick to the pan. The bottom always comes free. If anything, it is the crust on the sides that may adhere to the pan. Peel off the waxed paper from the bottom and place the dish you want to serve the tart on over the bottom. Turn the tart right side up, and you're done. When you begin to perform this action, it is like holding two cymbals horizontally, one in the palm of each hand with the tart upside down between them. Do not hesitate once you start the rotation or you will end up with tart all over the floor.

Recipe from Bon Appetit, April 2004.