Description
French lemon tart delivers a zesty sunshine slice right to your plate, dancing with tangy citrus and buttery crust. Creamy filling and crisp pastry blend perfectly, making this classic dessert a delightful treat for any sweet moment.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tablespoon cold water
- 1 pinch salt
Filling Ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Combine 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Blend these dry ingredients thoroughly.
- Cut ½ cup cold unsalted butter into small cubes and work into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix 1 egg yolk with ½ tablespoon cold water, then incorporate into the crumbly dough until it forms a cohesive ball.
- Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes at 40°F.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator.
- Roll out the dough and carefully press into a 9-inch tart pan, trimming any excess edges.
- Pierce the bottom of the crust multiple times with a fork to prevent bubbling.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, then bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the weights and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the edges turn light golden.
- Whisk 3 eggs, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Gently stir ½ cup heavy cream into the lemon mixture until fully incorporated.
- Pour the filling into the cooled tart shell, ensuring an even distribution.
- Bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes until the filling is just set with a slight center jiggle.
- Allow the tart to cool completely at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
- Dust with powdered sugar or garnish with fresh berries right before presenting.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent shrinking and ensures a tender, flaky crust that won’t crack during baking.
- Use cold butter and handle the dough minimally to keep the pastry light and crisp, avoiding tough textures.
- Blind baking the crust prevents a soggy bottom and creates a beautiful golden shell that holds the creamy lemon filling perfectly.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend, which adds a subtle nutty complexity to the tart.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Tarts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 256 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg