Creamy Lemon Tart (Print Version)
Silky lemon filling in a crisp buttery crust, chilled and dusted with powdered sugar for a bright finish.
# What You Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water
→ Creamy Lemon Filling
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 2 large egg yolks
11 - 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
13 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnish
14 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
15 - Fresh berries or candied lemon slices
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
03 - Blend in egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water. Pulse until dough starts to form, adding an extra tablespoon water only if necessary.
04 - Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
05 - Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming excess. Prick base with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes.
06 - Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake an additional 8–10 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly.
07 - Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
08 - In a bowl, whisk together heavy cream, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until fully blended.
09 - Pour the lemon filling into the pre-baked tart shell.
10 - Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is just slightly jiggly.
11 - Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
12 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with fresh berries or candied lemon slices as desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- This filling turns out astonishingly silky without fancy techniques or equipment.
- Its vibrant flavor wakes up even sleepy palates after a heavy meal—my friends always finish every crumb.
02 -
- Once I jostled the tart before it cooled and ended up with cracks—always cool it completely before moving it.
- Switching to cream instead of just eggs gave a softer, silkier result that everyone swooned over.
03 -
- If your crust edges brown too quickly, shield them with strips of foil while baking the filling.
- A spoonful of vanilla bean paste in the filling gives remarkable depth if you have it on hand.