Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 50 minutes
This recipe is a little trickier than most lemon tarts that use a precooked curd, but to me the taste is brighter and fresher and the texture smoother than most.

Sweet Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons butter, chilled and diced
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly and well mixed. Mix the egg and vanilla together with a fork and stir into the flour mixture. Gather the dough into a ball and knead just a little. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch tart pan.

Roll out the dough on lightly floured parchment paper to about 1/8-inch thick. Chill again for about 5 minutes. Press the dough into the pan, taking care to tuck the corners in. Fold the excess dough back onto itself to form a lip all the way around, just slightly higher than the rim of the tart pan. (This is important, as the filling is very liquidy, and you want to fill the tart all the way to the rim of the pan. The higher edge will keep the filling from spilling out.) Keep a tiny ball of excess dough to repair any cracks in the baked shell. Line the shell with a piece of foil or parchment and fill with dry beans, making sure to press them up against the sides. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the foil and beans, check for cracks, and use your extra dough as "spackle" to fill them in. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until cooked through and light golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool for at least 5 minutes.

Lemon Filling

5 eggs
1 cup sugar minus 2 tablespoons
6 tablespoons butter, melted but not hot
Juice of 3 lemons and 1 orange (about 3/4 cup)
Zest of 2 lemons Fresh berries, for garnish, optional

Lower the oven temperature to 300° F.

Beat the eggs lightly and whisk in the sugar until well blended. Add the melted butter, then juice and zest. Whisk just until blended. Place the pie shell in the oven and pour in the filling. Bake for 30 minutes, until the filling is just set in the center. Cool and serve, garnished with fresh berries.

Espresso Pôts de Crème

Makes 8 servings
Prep Time: 1 to 11/2 hours
A favorite foolproof dinner party dessert

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean, split open and scraped
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, for garnish, optional
Chocolate-covered espresso beans, for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Heat a kettle of water.

Combine the cream, half-and-half, vanilla bean (and inside scrapings), and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat until the mixture just barely reaches a simmer. Stir in the espresso until dissolved.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, then temper the yolks by whisking in a little hot cream. Add the remaining cream in a slow, steady stream. Whisk the cream mixture back into pan. Stir in vanilla extract and adjust flavoring.

Strain the mixture through a fine strainer. Ladle 5 or 6 ounces into eight custard cups, ramekins, or coffee cups. Place the containers in a baking dish and add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides; cover the dish with foil. Bake in the water bath for about 45 minutes or until the cream is set around the edges; the centers will be not quite firm.

Let the cups cool in the water bath, then serve at room temperature or chilled, garnished with whipped cream and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Working With Vanilla Beans: You can't beat the deep flavor and perfume of a fresh vanilla bean. They are not cheap but are worth the investment for special desserts. The freshest beans will be pliable and leathery (not crackly and dry). If the bean is dry, you can rehydrate it in warm water until it feels soft. To split the bean, lay it on a cutting board and run a paring knife down the center. Use the knife to spread open each half and scrape out the seeds.

For more information about Susan Spicer's restaurants, call Bayona at 504/525-4455, or visit www.bayona.com, or call Herbsaint at 504/524-4114, or visit www.herbsaint.com.