Skip to main content

San Francisco Part 2 – Rendition of Bouchon Lemon Tarts

Gluten Free Lemon Tarts


We were still in the airport parking garage, ten minutes after landing that Bill placed a small bucket full to the rim with crabapples and positively so proud of himself said "You love them so much that as soon as I saw them at the store I had to get you some. Welcome back!" Clearly, if you knew my husband, this would make you melt in an heartbeat. This non shopping, non cooking kind of guy had just connected with me on another level. And what did I say in return? "I must recreate Bouchon Lemon Tart in a gluten free version as soon as possible! Shauna must try it!".

Forget the crabapples, forget the pot of soup simmering on the stove, forget the house all shiny and tidy. I could not shut up about the great meal I had had with Anita, Shauna, Danny and Lu the Monday after BlogHer. And I could not stop thinking about Bouchon and their lemon tart. Go figure.

Inside Bouchon Restaurant

Inside Bouchon.

We headed out in the morning to Napa in search of pork. For real. Shauna and Danny also write Pork, Knife and Spoon. It’s all about the pork, and we did find it in Napa. We made a quick stop in front of The French Laundry for a "Bench Monday" photo op and then headed down to Bouchon for lunch. What a lunch! I am not sure what I loved the most between our exquisite dishes, Lucy flirting with the people in the room or the decor that sent me back to French bistros back home. I relaxed, I breathed, I paused. I forgot every bit of crappy stuff and wished Bill had been there with me. He would have loved the food, the company and the relaxed setting.

Desserts were all tempting but if I spot a lemon tart on the menu, I blank on pretty much everything else and my mouth quickly screams for a bite. Bouchon lemon’s tart is one of the bests I have ever had. The filling is tart just so, the shortbread crust is sandy and crispy just right and the addition of pine nuts gives it an earthy texture that complements perfectly the smooth filling. The slice was big. I ate it all. I did not even think twice. And I wanted more.

Shauna and Lucy At Bouchon Bakery

Happy Gluten Free Girls

I sighed I could not share a bit with Shauna right there as the tart was not gluten free but we all agreed that this would be one of the easiest desserts to adapt for gluten sensitive folks and I set about the task as soon as I got home (recipe and more pictures are right after the jump).

After lunch we headed to Bouchon Bakery where I resisted buying another lemon tart and settled on one of their giant macarons. They are seriously huge which is perfect for sharing. I shared an espresson one with Anita while Lu and Shauna settled on a raspberry macaron. Happy. But we were on a pork mission afterall…

The Fatted Calf

The Fatted Calf

At The Fatted Calf.

Well fed and satisfied, we felt safe to tackle The Fatted Calf without wanting to eat their entire display. My desire of visiting their outpost in Napa goes back to the days when Sam of Becks and Posh used to describe the content of her Saturday market basket. Toulouse sausage, pancetta, merguez. Finally the day had come! I think I have a disease that makes my brain shut off and erase from memory all previous meals while making room for more food. I could have eaten one of every item in the store.

My heart did skip a bit when I spotted figatelli on the counter. I kept having flash backs to many aperitifs held on my parents' terrace where I’d try to sneak as many pieces of figatelli as I could. After school snacks of olives, bread rubbed with garlic and tomatoes and a few slices of that sausage. I tried my best not to spill the content of my nostalgia to the very nice lady behind the counter. I added some spicy chorizo and petit sec to my loot as I knew Bill would love some of those too.

Oxbow Market & Rancho Gordo

At Oxbow Market & Rancho Gordo.

I was psyched to hear we would also make a stop at Rancho Gordo during our Napa excursion. I have no idea why my first blog reads were almost all from the Bay area but needless to say I have been hearing them sing Steve Sando’s praises for quite some time now, increasing my desire to put my hands on some genuinely good heirloom beans.

Yes, I know. I am all about buying and eating local but I think I was a Western local in a previous life and a part of me got stuck there. I borrowed being local for 5 days and the people of San Francisco were very generous in sharing that with me.

Oh! What a day! We headed back to town and reluctantly said goodbye to Shauna, Danny and Lu. I can’t describe how lucky I felt to share so much in so little time with them. We all spilled our gutts, laughed and cried. We shared from the most raw places in our hearts and yet with the most uplifting bravery. Thank you guys! Thank you for letting me play with Lu so much!

There was so much more good stuff to come too, starting with a fabulous dinner at Contigo.

Contigo - Bar Seating

Bar seating, facing the kitchen at Contigo.

Since Brett announced on his blog In Praise Of Sardines that he was opening up his own restaurant, Contigo, I have been cheering him on all the way from SC. Thanks to Anita and Cameron who have sort of made it their joint, I have been able to read rave reviews pouring in about the place and I can add that they are all justified. The tapas menu is creative and fun, the dishes executed with flair with the freshest ingredients and the atmosphere and staff make the whole experience relaxed and delectable. Bravo Brett and your staff!

Contigo

Contigo.

I was fortunate to share this incredible feast with other smart and dedicated food bloggers, Caron, Sean and Paul, Tea and Anita. Thank you guys for making this evening memorable and lively of conversations, patient of my photographing all the dishes so I could relate the Bill exactly what we had. Everything from the garden steamed vegetables, stuffed piquillo peppers, jamon iberico, lemon verbena flan and churros con chocolate (and many more in between) were spot on! A total of 15 tapas were shared and loved.

I know Brett had quite his share of bloggers' visits for dinner that weekend and it is all well deserved. If you are in San Francisco and have not stepped foot there, run there! If you plan a trip to SF in the near future, run there too! You won’t be disappointed. Tapas done right. Local and fresh ingredients. Dedication pays off.

Contigo - The Kitchen

The Kitchen at Contigo.

I just want to wrap this post on an incredible day but saying how grateful I am to Anita and Cameron for their generosity and hospitality in having me stay a little while after the conference was over. These two live 100% whether at work or play and it shows. I could not have asked for better hosts and friends in San Francisco.

Stay tuned for another installment of this trip when I get to play a whole day with Tea and discover another side of town. There will also be another dessert adaptation. This time from one I had at Contigo.

Contigo

At Contigo.

For now, I am going to curl up on the sofa with a gluten free lemon tart and dream I were cooking and dancing with all the friends I have left out West…

Rice Flour& Lemon For Tarts


Gluten Free Lemon Tarts:

Makes six 4-inch tartlets

Kitchen note:I have a very hard time finding brown rice flour and Shauna suggested making my own by pulverizing brown rice until very fine. The gluttinous texture of the brown rice helps with the crust much better than white rice flour.

For the crust:
1 stick (113gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (60gr) unsifted powdered sugar
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 cup (160gr) brown rice flour
1/4 cup (30gr) amaranth flour (you could use sorghum flour)
1/4 (40gr) potato starch
1/4 cup (20gr) ground almonds

For the filling:
5 tablespoons (80gr) unsalted butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup (100gr) sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup of juice)

Prepare the crust:
In a mixer, whip together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and pinch of salt and mix until incorporated. Add the three different flours and ground almonds and mix briefly. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Do not work the dough while in the mixer or it will toughen it up. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center. Place eight tart rings on a parchment lined baking sheet and set aside.
When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic. Cut out eight 6-inch-rounds into the dough and fit them into eight 4-inch tart rings. If the dough tears while you roll or/and transfer into the rings, just patch it with your fingertips. Line the dough with pieces of parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dy beans and par bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper. Keep the oven at 350F.

Prepare the filling:
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, the juice and zest from the lemons. Add the melted butter and whisk to incorporate. Divide evenly among the tarts and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve room temperature.

Gluten Free Lemon Tarts


Related Posts

Similar Articles


Comments


Maria October 5, 2009 um 9:36 pm

How nice of your husband. I am sure he was glad to have you home. I can't get over your photos, they are fantastic. Thanks for sharing your trip. I didn't get to dine at Contigo, but I hear it is amazing. I must go back. I also love Anita, she is a true gem:) Glad you had so much fun!


Ashley October 5, 2009 um 9:42 pm

Stunning. The interior shots of the restaurants are just incredible. The color is so vivid and alive.
Thank you for doing such a great job of documenting these memorable meals.


Kristina October 5, 2009 um 9:45 pm

Helen,

Your blog & pictures are making me long to return to San Francisco as soon as possible. Contigo is on my list of places I must visit next time. And yes – Anita & Cameron's hospitality is amazing. I'm so glad I got the chance to know them.

Those tarts are calling my name. My time is crunched right now but I'm going to find a way to make these very, very soon.


Shauna October 5, 2009 um 9:46 pm

Oh Helen, we miss you so!

That lunch, and the chance to share it with you, was so perfect that I didn't even feel bad that I could not share the tart with you. But to find out that you made it gluten-free for me?

Even better.

love, me


Helen in CA October 5, 2009 um 10:01 pm

Helen….how to send you an email? since I found something confusing in the recipe instruction re: crust.


Anita (Married… with dinner) October 5, 2009 um 10:19 pm

Cameron and I *loved* having you stay with us — you are welcome any time.

Thank you for giving me the excuse to play hooky from work, and thank you, too, for documenting our adventures so beautifully.


Jen Yu October 5, 2009 um 10:23 pm

Ahhh, very good to see you were in excellent hands after we parted in SF. The culinary adventures sound lovely and you deserved a good treat (or two, or three, or…) What I love is that last photo of your tarts – a very different style, yet just as lovely as your other photographs. And thanks for reposting that picture of Lucy. She is precious 🙂


Helene October 5, 2009 um 10:45 pm

Helen in CA: all fixed!


Barbara October 5, 2009 um 10:45 pm

Wonderful report Helene. I especially enjoyed the photos of Contigo.


Kitchen M October 5, 2009 um 11:14 pm

Beautiful photos! Funny how the Fatted Calf and Oxbow Market look so amazing in your photos. I go there all the time. 🙂


The Duo Dishes October 5, 2009 um 11:25 pm

Just looking at the photos alone, you've created an experience for everyone. How nice!


Nina Timm October 6, 2009 um 3:33 am

The photos are super as always and I love lemon tart, but because I am slightly gluten intolerant, always have to suffer the consequences afterwards!!!


Ann October 6, 2009 um 4:22 am

As I learned from Shauna, YES!

I can't wait to make that tart. Thank you from another GFG.


Esme October 6, 2009 um 5:07 am

Great post-we are headed to SF this weekend. You are making me hungry-not sure what we will be doing but I know where we will be eating.


Dana October 6, 2009 um 5:22 am

I am so happy you were able to enjoy yourself so much with such lovely people. It was a well-deserved vacation. You continue to be a source of inspiration to bakers of all types.


Simones Kitchen October 6, 2009 um 6:07 am

What gorgeous photos of the inside of the restaurant Helen! Can I ask which lens you have used? The light must have been tricky over there, but you managed brilliantly…


Jamie October 6, 2009 um 6:44 am

What a great post and what an amazing day! And I love when husband's show their love like that! Your food experiences have me tingling all over. Fabulous lemon tart!


♥peachkins♥ October 6, 2009 um 6:47 am

amazing photos! I love that wooden spoon and fork!!


Anushruti October 6, 2009 um 7:51 am

What amazing photos! The tart looks delectable!


keiko October 6, 2009 um 9:59 am

Everything looks so beautiful, Helen – glad you had a great time!


Engineer Baker October 6, 2009 um 1:25 pm

*sigh* All I want to do now is go back to SF and drag all you wonderful people back there with me. Pork! Pastry! Beans! Contigo! And, of course, fantastic friends.


Jessica October 6, 2009 um 2:35 pm

I am loving all of your pictures. You capture the moment so well.


Char October 6, 2009 um 5:07 pm

love pours from each shot – beautiful


TheBellaLife October 6, 2009 um 5:29 pm

Looks Like a BLAST. Makes me a little nostalgic… I need to go to SF, NYC, or Some very Large City in Europe. Thanks for the post.

Keighley


montague October 6, 2009 um 5:38 pm

love seeing the SF food scene through your eyes. thank you for taking us on this tour. and your husband is the cutest…


Barbara October 6, 2009 um 5:56 pm

I love every single one of your photos. So many wonderful memories.

Now….pass the lemon tart, please!


Anita October 6, 2009 um 9:27 pm

Great post! I love all the photos – gorgeous! I wouldn't mind some of that tart either 😛 hehe


Anonymous October 6, 2009 um 10:55 pm

Sounds like you made it to the A-list of SF/Napa Valley foodie locales. Some of my favorites, for sure! I'm lucky enough to live in Napa – but believe me, I don't take it for granted. Come back soon – there's lots more to enjoy!


Brittany October 6, 2009 um 11:38 pm

Your photos on this post are just absolutely amazing. Every single one of them =)


www.DE HARINA Y DE MAIZ.com October 7, 2009 um 12:13 am

love the pictures!!! and the crust in the tarts looks delicious!!!


Tea October 7, 2009 um 2:34 am

Good grief, your photography, woman! It makes me weep with the beauty of it, and with envy that I am not able to capture such images myself. Seriously breathtaking. You are amazing (and if you weren't such a darned nice person, I might hold it against you:-).


Aimée October 7, 2009 um 3:00 am

Thank you for transporting me for a few minutes from my home office. SUCH lovely photos, Helen, I'm in awe.

You'll have to come view Montreal through your lens sometime. Consider me your personal slave/tour guide for the duration of your visit!


giao {kiss my spatula} October 7, 2009 um 7:40 pm

i remember going to bouchon years ago when it first opened and we still lived in san francisco. thanks for such a lovely trip down memory lane!


Frenchie October 7, 2009 um 8:39 pm

I just hope that one day my photos will be as beautiful as yours and my food will be as tasty.


Edda October 8, 2009 um 3:45 pm

Merci pour ce tour, tu me fait un peu rêver. Et dans tes mains même une simple tarte au citron acquière une allure incroyable. Très belle photo surtout dans le choix des couleurs 🙂


Helene October 9, 2009 um 5:50 am

Junglefrog: I shot all my SF pictures with a used 35mm f/2.0that I got at KEH.com. Best $165 I have ever spent 🙂


Cakespy October 9, 2009 um 7:33 am

I'm sorry, but I am feeling such desire right now that I can barely stand it! I want one of these. A truly delicious lemon tart is my weakness, and awesome that these ones are gluten free!


Anna October 9, 2009 um 1:23 pm

What a gorgeous post!

Obligatory stupid question: when you say 'pulverising brown rice' to make rice flour – do you mean cooked or uncooked rice? Thank you x


Easy kitchen October 10, 2009 um 10:23 am

we are very lucky to find fantastic lemon tart here in Paris. I dream to visit SF one day.


Y October 11, 2009 um 2:14 am

What a delicious way to return home 🙂 I can't wait to try your gluten free crust!


Peabody October 11, 2009 um 9:38 am

A wonderful looking gluten free crust and tart.


Sacha December 8, 2010 um 6:41 pm

Helen, this lemon tart looks amazing! I absolutely love lemon desserts. However, not only am I allergic to gluten, but also almonds. Do you think I could use a flour like quinoa or garbanzo-fava as a substitute?


Helene December 8, 2010 um 6:50 pm

sacha: you could sub another nut than almonds or replace with any other gf flour.


Sacha December 15, 2010 um 10:22 pm

Thanks Helene! I will try with another gf flour because not only am I allergic to almonds, but my partner is allergic to all nuts! Between him and I, there is always a challenge.


Anonymous March 31, 2013 um 3:12 pm

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.


Anonymous March 31, 2013 um 4:03 pm

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.


Anonymous April 1, 2013 um 4:56 am

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.


Anonymous April 1, 2013 um 5:42 am

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.


Write a Comment