Classic Lemon Tart Recipe with Fresh Lemon Zest and Juice

This Lemon Tart Recipe is perfectly balanced – not too tart and not too sweet. Whole lemons, sans the seeds, are used in this recipe so the powerful flavor of the zest shines through in the tart. The recipe produces a classic lemon tart and does not require making a curd for the filling.

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This lemony tart is great anytime of the year but I especially like it during the spring and summer months as it is light on the palate. I also am a fan of anything lemon with fresh, seasonal berries – so when serving consider some raspberries or strawberries to add to the dessert plates.

Tips for Making the Classic Lemon Tart Recipe:

• The tart is best baked in a sweet dough recipe (aka Pate Sucree) but you can use any recipe you like or a store-bought crust. The tart shell does not need to be par-baked.
• Just a few ingredients are needed to make the filling for this pie: one lemon, granulated sugar, an egg and an egg yolk, cornstarch and melted butter.
• One medium-sized lemon is needed for the recipe. Wash the lemon, slice thinly and remove any seeds. Add the lemon slices and the granulated sugar to a food processor and puree well. Pour into a bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the lemon/sugar puree in the following order, whisking between each addition:
  1. One egg and one egg yolk (save the egg white to add to your next omelet!).
  2. Cornstarch
  3. Melted and slightly cooled butter
• Pour filling into the pie shell and bake at 350° F for 35 to 40 minutes. The top of the pie will be a light brown and bubbling.
• Cool the tart completely before serving. The tart is best served the day it is made.

Please check out my easy Key Lime Pie recipe if you are a citrus lover – another refreshing pie!

Lemon Tart

A tangy lemon tart with a beautiful presentation.

5 from 13 votes

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Cooling 2 hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 12

Equipment

• Food Processor
• 9" Tart Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 9" Tart Pan with Sweet Dough
• 1 Medium Lemon Washed, sliced thinly (with peels on) and seeds removed
• 250 Grams Granulated Sugar (1 ¼ Cups)
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 Large Egg Yolk
• 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
• 115 Grams Butter, melted (4 Ounces / 1 Stick)

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Slice the lemons thinly – do not peel lemons. Remove seeds.
• Placed sliced lemons and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until thoroughly processed. Scrape side of food processor bowl as needed.
• Place lemon/sugar mixture in a bowl.
• Add egg yolks and egg and whisk until combined.
• Add cornstarch and whisk until combined.
• Add melted butter and whisk until combined.
• Pour filling into unbaked pie shell.
• Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. The top of the pie will be a light brown and bubbling.
• Cool completely on a rack before serving.

Video

Keyword lemon desserts, lemon tart recipe

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