Lemon tart buttery crust (Printable Version)

Zesty lemon filling nestled in a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry for a fresh, elegant finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Buttery Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Lemon Filling

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

14 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
15 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
16 - Fresh berries or mint leaves

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined.
03 - Add cold cubed butter to the dry mixture and pulse until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water to the mixture. Pulse just until dough comes together, adding additional water one tablespoon at a time if needed.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
06 - Roll out chilled dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan, trim excess edges, and prick the base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
07 - Bake crust for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool slightly.
08 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and salt until smooth and well combined.
09 - Pour filling into warm crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the center is just set but still slightly jiggly.
10 - Cool tart completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
11 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, fresh berries, or mint leaves if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The crust is genuinely foolproof: Cold butter and ice water are your secret weapons, and the food processor does the hard thinking for you.
  • It tastes like restaurant dessert but feels homemade: That perfect balance of tartness and richness that makes people lean back and sigh.
  • You can make it hours ahead: Chill it overnight if you want, and it actually gets better as the flavors settle.
  • It impresses without stress: The elegance is built into the process, not hidden in secret techniques you'll worry about.
02 -
  • The wobble in the center is not a mistake—it's the goal: That slight jiggle means the filling will set to creamy perfection as it cools; if you bake it until it looks completely firm, you'll end up with something that tastes overcooked.
  • Lemon juice is acidic enough to curdle eggs if you're not careful: Always whisk it into the sugar and eggs gradually rather than dumping it in, so the acid distributes evenly and doesn't shock the mixture.
  • Freshness matters more here than almost anywhere else: Bottled lemon juice tastes hollow, and room-temperature lemon juice won't blend as smoothly into the filling.
03 -
  • If your crust cracks as you're fitting it into the pan, just patch it with a small piece of reserved dough—no one will ever know: A little water helps the patch seal smoothly.
  • Room-temperature filling mixed into a warm crust bakes more evenly than cold filling: Let the filling sit out for 10 minutes while the crust finishes its blind bake.
  • A tart server or long, thin spatula is the only way to cut clean slices without dragging: Warm the knife briefly under hot water between cuts for even cleaner edges.
Return