Creamy Lemon Tart (Printable)
Silky lemon filling on a crisp, buttery crust—bright zest and chilled smoothness for an elegant dessert.
# 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 (Optional)
14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Fresh berries or candied lemon slices
# Directions:
01 - Set oven to 350°F and allow to preheat fully.
02 - Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold, cubed butter and pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
03 - Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water to the mixture. Pulse until dough begins to come together, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if needed.
04 - Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
05 - Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Press into a 9-inch tart pan, trim excess, dock the base with a fork, and freeze for 10 minutes.
06 - Line crust with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake 15 minutes. Remove weights, bake an additional 8–10 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.
07 - Reduce oven to 300°F.
08 - Whisk together heavy cream, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a mixing bowl until fully blended and smooth.
09 - Pour lemon filling into the baked shell. Bake 20–25 minutes, until edges are set and center remains just slightly wobbly.
10 - Allow tart to cool completely at room temperature and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.
11 - Dust the surface with powdered sugar and add fresh berries or candied lemon slices as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- When you slice into this tart, the filling is so creamy and fresh it feels like a reward for waiting while it chills.
- The buttery crust is surprisingly sturdy yet tender, so each bite is perfectly balanced without turning soggy.
02 -
- If you skip chilling the crust before baking, you’ll end up with shrinking and slumping—learned that one the messy way.
- Whisking the filling thoroughly saves you from any bits of cooked egg, so don’t rush it
03 -
- Lightly flour your rolling pin and hands to stop the dough from sticking and pulling.
- Pour the lemon filling through a fine sieve for an extra-smooth, restaurant-worthy finish.