Lemon Tart – Sugar Spun Run

My simple lemon tart recipe begins with a crisp, shortbread-esque crust and is stuffed with a {smooth}, vivid lemon filling. It’s a refreshing dessert that’s good for hotter climate, however is de facto fantastic any time of yr. Recipe features a how-to video!

Overhead view of a lemon tart decorated with piped whipped cream and raspberries.

A Easy, Home made Lemon Tart

Making up for the dreary climate we’ve been having just lately with this vivid and sunny lemon tart.

It’s pure sunshine with a crisp, buttery crust cradling a silky-smooth lemon curd filling that’s equally tangy and candy. High it off with a fluffy cloud of selfmade whipped cream and simply attempt to hold your self from going again for a second slice. Resistance/willpower… a ability I’m but to grasp 🥴

I used to search out tarts to be intimidating, however they’re actually easy to make and never a lot totally different than a pie. Essentially the most tough half is having endurance, because it should chill within the fridge in a single day earlier than serving, so hold that in thoughts if you happen to’re making it for an occasion. On that notice, it’s good for making upfront!

Head on view of a tart filled with lemon curd and garnished with whipped cream and raspberries.

My recipe contains three well-balanced layers:

  • Pâte sucrée crust: Tender, candy, and buttery pastry that holds up effectively in opposition to the creamy filling. It’s sweeter than conventional pie crust and tastes just like a shortbread cookie. It might be scrumptious by itself, however in fact we’re going to be filling it with…
  • A wealthy, tangy lemon filling: A pleasant steadiness of sweetness and tanginess that units up simply agency sufficient to neatly slice. That is primarily the identical filling utilized in my lemon bars.
  • Non-obligatory whipped cream topping: Provides a light-weight, creamy end that tempers the tartness of the lemon. This may be piped or dolloped to fit your most well-liked presentation fashion. I piped it prettily for footage, however in actuality I usually simply plop a big spoonful on prime of my slice earlier than having fun with.

What You Want

Use high-quality components ensures a vibrant, scrumptious, and fantastically textured lemon tart. Particularly, you’ll need:

Overhead view of ingredients including lemons, eggs, sugar, butter, and more.
  • Butter. Use unsalted butter and ensure it’s tremendous chilly earlier than you add it to the crust (you’ll be able to even place it within the freezer for 10-Quarter-hour beforehand). If yow will discover it and need to spring for it, European butter works very properly right here!
  • Eggs. We’ll use eggs in each the crust and the filling. For the crust, be sure that your egg is chilled earlier than including it. For the filling, we’ll use two entire eggs and some further yolks. In the event you’d like to make use of your leftover egg whites as an alternative of throwing them away, you should utilize them to make meringue cookies, French macarons, or a batch of marshmallow frosting. You may even use it to make a meringue to prime off the pie, however I favor to make use of whipped cream as an alternative.
  • Lemons. Squeeze your personal lemons! The bottled stuff simply doesn’t come shut flavor-wise (I had just a few members of the family who insisted it didn’t make a distinction, however a taste-test left me vindicated, and Bon Appetit also validates my claim, discussing the oxidation of the bottled stuff and whatnot) . That is crucial, and I solely assure tasty outcomes if you happen to comply with this rule 😉
  • Powdered sugar. We’ll use a little bit of powdered sugar within the crust for tender, shortbread-esque outcomes.
  • Vanilla extract. I don’t use any vanilla within the filling because it undermined the lemon taste reasonably than flattered it, however a splash within the crust and the whipped cream on prime does accent the filling properly.

SAM’S TIP: It is very important hold your tart crust components as chilly as potential! In the event that they get too heat, the edges of your tart might collapse whereas baking. A meals processor is my most well-liked instrument for getting ready the crust for that reason (a meals processor works shortly and also you don’t want to make use of your fingers, which may heat the components), however you might alternatively use a pastry cutter as an alternative.

That is simply an summary of the components I used and why. For the complete recipe please scroll right down to the underside of the publish!

Learn how to Make Lemon Tart

Make the tart crust (pâte sucrée)

Collage of four photos showing a tart crust being prepared.
  1. Pulse collectively the flour, sugar, and salt in a meals processor, then add the butter and pulse once more till coarse crumbs kind.
  2. Mix the egg and vanilla (I whisk them collectively in a small dish to evenly distribute the vanilla extract) then pour into the meals processor and pulse till the dough begins to cling collectively.
  3. Kind the dough right into a disc, wrap in plastic (or parchment paper), and place within the fridge to relax for 1 hour. See these specks all through the dough within the images above? That’s butter, you need to see that!
  4. Roll the dough right into a 10-11″ circle earlier than urgent right into a 9″ tart pan. Tip for while you’re rolling out your dough: achieve this on a floured floor and periodically use a spatula to scrape up the underside of the dough to maintain it from sticking. To switch the dough to the tart pan, merely roll it up round your rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan (I show this in my video).

Bake the crust

Collage of two photos showing a tart crust before and after baking.
  1. Prick the underside of the crust throughout with a fork, cowl with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights. I crumple (and un-crumple) my parchment paper a number of instances in order that it matches properly within the pie shell. Chill within the freezer for half-hour.
  2. Bake the crust for 20 minutes at 375F, then rigorously take away the parchment and pie weights and bake for one more 5 minutes/till gentle browning happens.

Put together the Filling

Collage of four photos showing a lemon tart filling being prepared on the stove.
  1. Whisk collectively all components besides the butter in a medium sized pot. Add the butter and switch the warmth to medium low.
  2. Stir always whereas the combination cooks. As soon as it thickens and coats the again of a spoon, take away the curd from the warmth.
  3. Pour the filling via a superb mesh strainer right into a heatproof bowl, then pour into your tart crust. The strainer is key, it filters out any impurities, seeds, or small bits of cooked egg that will have occurred. You should use one for a silky {smooth} filling.
  4. Evenly unfold the filling into the crust, and {smooth} the floor. Let cool at room temperature for one hour, then switch to the fridge for at the least 6 hours.

Whipped Cream

Collage of two photos showing whipped cream being prepared and piped onto a tart.
  1. Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla till stiff peaks kind.
  2. Unfold or pipe onto the chilled tart, slice, and revel in!

SAM’S TIP: When you can at all times simply unfold the whipped cream on prime of your lemon tart, I like to make use of the Ateco 848 piping tip (linked within the recipe card beneath) to create a reasonably piped design.

Slice of lemon curd-filled tart missing a bite on a white plate.

Steadily Requested Questions

Why is my lemon tart runny?

In case your lemon tart is runny, the principally probably trigger will not be cooking the filling lengthy sufficient. It needs to be properly thickened while you pull it off the range. In the event you’d like a visible, see the video beneath to see the precise consistency mine is when it’s executed; I prefer to verify to ensure it coats the again of a spoon earlier than I pull it off the warmth. After I run my finger via the curd (on the again of the spoon) the path that my finger makes ought to maintain and the curd shouldn’t movement again over it.

Can I exploit a unique kind of citrus?

Sure, I believe limes, oranges, and even grapefruits would work effectively.

Does a lemon tart should be refrigerated?

Sure! Since this tart incorporates an egg-based custard filling, I like to recommend refrigerating it. Ensure that to maintain it lined to forestall any fridge odors from absorbing into the tart.

Can I exploit a unique crust?

Pâte sucrée is the standard selection, however you might substitute my graham cracker crust as an alternative.

Lemon tart decorated with piped whipped cream and raspberries.

As soon as completed, you’ll be able to beautify your lemon tart with contemporary berries, mint sprigs, and even edible flowers. Do you like to embellish yours, or hold it plain (if you happen to go all-out with the adorning, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see it!)?

Get pleasure from!

Let’s bake collectively! I’ll be strolling you thru all of the steps in my written recipe and video beneath! In the event you do that recipe, make sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can too discover me on YouTube and Facebook

Lemon tart decorated with piped whipped cream and raspberries.

Lemon Tart

My simple lemon tart recipe has a crisp, shortbread-esque crust and a {smooth} lemon filling. It is a refreshing dessert that is good for spring or summer time! Recipe features a how-to video!

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Course: Dessert

Delicacies: American

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook dinner Time: 30 minutes

Chilling Time: 7 hours 30 minutes

Complete Time: 8 hours 45 minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Energy: 561kcal

Components

Whipped Cream (optionally available):

Forestall your display screen from going darkish

Directions

For the tart crust:

  • To the basin of a meals processor, add flour, sugar, and salt. Briefly pulse to mix.

    1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (65 g) powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt

  • Add butter and pulse till coarse crumbs kind (about ten 1-second pulses)

    8 Tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter

  • In a separate, small dish, whisk collectively egg and vanilla. Drizzle over flour combination, and pulse till dough simply begins to cling collectively.

    1 giant egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Rigorously take away from meals processor (watch the blade) and form dough right into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

  • Roll chilled dough right into a 10-11″ (25cm) disc and press right into a 9″ (23cm) tart pan. Prick the underside throughout with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dry beans. Freeze for half-hour, in the meantime preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

  • As soon as crust has chilled and oven is preheated, bake crust in middle rack of 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 minutes or till edges are gentle golden brown. Take away parchment and weights (rigorously), then bake for an extra 5 minutes (the underside of the tart needs to be starting to show evenly golden). Put together lemon filling

Lemon Filling

  • In a medium-sized saucepan, mix eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Add butter and cook dinner over medium-low warmth, stirring always, till combination is thickened and coats the again of a spoon.

    2 giant entire eggs, 4 giant egg yolks, ½ cup (120 ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter

  • Take away from warmth and pour combination via a superb mesh strainer right into a bowl, then pour into tart crust and unfold evenly. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at the least 6 hours or in a single day.

Whipped Cream (optionally available)

  • Mix heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on excessive pace till stiff peaks kind. Pipe or dollop whipped cream onto tart earlier than serving. I used an Ateco 848 so as to add the ornamental whipped cream on prime.

    ¾ cup (177 ml) heavy cream, ¼ cup (30 g) powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Notes

Tart pan

I don’t grease my tart pan.
When attempting to line the unbaked tart crust with parchment paper (step 5) it’s useful to crumple the parchment paper, uncrumple, crumple once more, then uncrumple earlier than utilizing. This helps it match snugly and extra flush into the tart crust.

Filling

The tart crust doesn’t need to be utterly cooled earlier than including the lemon filling, actually the filling will be added when the crust is sizzling proper out of the oven. Typically I’ll start getting ready the lemon filling whereas the crust remains to be within the oven.

Storing

Retailer lined within the fridge for as much as 5 days. I retailer my tart within the tart pan and don’t take away until I need to put it on a serving plate. Whereas I haven’t personally frozen this tart, I believe it will freeze superb (after cooling and setting utterly).

Diet

Serving: 1serving | Energy: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 7g | Fats: 35g | Saturated Fats: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 10g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1252IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg

Dietary data relies on third-party calculations and needs to be thought-about an estimate solely. Precise dietary content material will differ primarily based upon manufacturers used, measuring strategies, cooking technique, portion sizes, and extra.