Lemon Tart

This lemon tart recipe has been coming to you for a long, long time. I started thinking about it when I published this lemon baklava pie, made a first version in Sept 2023 which was perfect except… well I dropped it after it chilled (I shared a photo of this sad version on threads and thought to just go with it, but there was no hiding the damage!). 

I then made it again in March 2024, the video and photos are from then (if you look closely at the video you’ll see limes,  that’s because I was shooting my key lime pie on the same day =) ), and just never found the right moment to publish. Probably because I was doing so many other lemon things! And especially given I had that lemon chess pie coming up around thanksgiving, I didn’t want to be too repetitive. 

But… Gosh darn it, this is the perfect lemon tart recipe and I’m now feeling a bit apologetic that I’ve been holding back on it for so long. You already know why it’s so good: it has my lemon curd in it. The filling is buttery, creamy but sharp and a real treat for lemon lovers who like some zing to their jaws. The crust is simple; easy to make and ticks all the right boxes: crumbly, sweet but not overly so, and a bit more flavorful thanks to some lemon zest and almond flour.  

Recipe Origins 

For this lemon tart recipe, I went with my (and your!) beloved lemon curd recipe for the filling and made a shortcrust for the shell. I used almond flour in the crust to make it more flavorful and buttery. I made no changes to the filling except that I add a bit of starch to the lemon curd before it bakes so it will set nicely. 

Recipe Ingredients 

Lemons: fresh lemons. Wash and rub them to remove any residual wax. We’ll use about six or seven of them (depending on how juicy they are) for the filling and two we’ll zest for just the crust. 

Sugar: fine granulated sugar. This goes into the filling and the crust and in both cases the zest is rubbed into it to draw out the sweet lemon oils. 

Butter: unsalted or salted, if using salted reduce the salt added to the dough. 

Powdered sugar: this helps bind the crust ingredients together. 

Salt: fine sea salt. If using table salt, use half the amount. 

Flour: all purpose flour. I haven’t tried this with gluten free flour but if you have experience doing so in other tart crust recipes (specifically a pâte sucrée) then you should be ok. 

Almond flour: you can also use almond meal here, it will add more of a variated color to the crust. 

Milk: whole milk, this bit of moisture helps hydrate the flours. 

Eggs: whole large eggs. These are for the filling; you’ll need six of them. 

How to make Lemon Tart 

Do ahead 

First thing to do is to make this lemon curd. Make the full recipe for the below sized crust; it will fit into a 9 or 10 inch tart pan. 

Note: I cannot attest to any other homemade or storebought lemon curd working as a filling here. As far as I know, this recipe only works with my homemade lemon curd. And tbh, it is very straightforward and easy to make plus it delivers the most delicious filling. 

The curd can be made a day or up to a week ahead of time; if stored in the fridge in an airtight container. You can make it a few weeks or months ahead of time if you store it, also in an airtight container, in the freezer. 

The day of baking, make the crust 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

Set the granulated sugar in a large bowl and zest the two lemons over it. Rub the zest into the sugar, this helps release the juices. 

Add the salt and butter and beat to combine. 

Add the flour, almond meal and powdered sugar and beat, then add the milk and beat until the mix starts to clump. 

Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. Take your time doing this to ensure an even layer all around. Use a measuring cup to help you pack the crust in. 

Set a sheet of parchment paper over the crust then fill the pan with pie weights or dried beans. Shake the pan to distribute the weights evenly. 

Bake the crust for 25 minutes. Out of the oven, use the parchment paper as a sling to lift the weights off the crust (set them in a bowl nearby). 

Dock the crust all over the bottom with a fork. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden, for about 15 minutes. 

Whisk the lemon curd with the tapioca starch until the starch is dissolved into the curd. 

Pour it into the hot crust and smooth it out into an even layer. 

Return to the oven and bake until the filling jiggles only in the center and the sides are set, for about 15-20 minutes. ** This step is important, you need to judge when the curd has baked enough but not overbaked. Overbaked curd will look clumpy, like scrambled eggs. 

Let the tart come to room temperature then transfer to the fridge for at least four hours but overnight works too. 

Top as desired with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 

Serve and store cold. 

FAQ on Lemon Tart 

I only have an 8 inch tart pan. What changes should I make? 

I’d reduce the recipe to about 75%. You have less pan to cover with crust and less space to hold that generous filling. You might also want to adjust bake times; check everything about 5 minutes before I’ve listed below – just in case things are moving quicker due to the reduction. 

How far ahead can I make the tart? 

One thing I love about a pâte sucrée and my lemon curd is that they keep exceptionally well. This can be made up to three days ahead of time. Save the topping for the day of serving though. 

How long will the lemon tart keep in the fridge or in the freezer? 

In the fridge I’d say a week, especially if kept in an airtight container. In the freezer it will probably last a month or two; also have it in an airtight container. 

Topping the Lemon Tart 

You’ll notice in the video that I kept the tart blank and served it with vanilla ice cream. I loved the combination of the sharp curd and creamy ice cream. 

However, two other suggestions that might make a fancier presentation: 

Stabilized whipped cream: this is made in a food processor and lasts up to 3 days. 

Swiss meringue: this is best made the day of and will turn your lemon tart into a lemon meringue tart. Torch it before serving, it will be absolutely heavenly. 

Lemon Tart Recipe

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