It’s been nearly ten years since I first connected with Claire, the gifted author behind the influential natural foods blog Clea Cuisine. Over that time our relationship has grown into a genuine and meaningful friendship.
Clea is one of those rare people who project a quiet confidence and serenity, unshaken by passing trends or the noise of the world. She follows her own taste and instincts, and that authenticity has earned her a devoted audience. As one of the earliest voices in France to write about ingredients like agar agar, rice flour, and almond butter, she has helped reshape how many readers cook and eat.
So when she proposed a culinary exchange between our blogs — each of us choosing three recipes from the other, mixing them up, and creating something new — I agreed immediately. I enjoyed diving into Clea’s archives and chose her Cream of carrot with white miso and ginger, her Chocolate and ginger pudding with agar agar, and her Ultimate lemon tart.
I share Clea’s preference for a very tangy lemon tart — not overly sweet — and I think the recipe below strikes the right balance.
At first I imagined a lemon tart infused with ginger and white miso — white miso can add an intriguing savory depth to desserts — but early trials showed miso didn’t belong in this version, so I pivoted. The final result was a batch of lemon ginger tartlets that delighted everyone who tasted them.
Lemon and ginger are a proven pairing; to Clea’s lemon curd I simply added finely grated fresh ginger. The result is a vivid, slightly tart lemon ginger curd that works perfectly in these tartlets but is versatile enough to be used on brioche, stirred into yogurt, spread on crêpes, or eaten straight from a spoon.
For the crust I used the pâte sucrée recipe popularized by pastry chef Jacques Genin. It’s straightforward to make, easy to handle, and bakes into a crisp, delicate shell that forms a lovely contrast with the silky curd.
If you’d like to see what idea my archives inspired in Clea, you can find her version of the swap on her blog about Pasta with almond-zucchini gremolata and roasted onions.
Join the conversation!
Do you know people like Clea who inspire you with their poise and taste? How do you prefer your lemon tarts — tangy, sweet, or topped with meringue?
