Bright tart with lemon filling (Printable version)

Zesty lemon tart with crisp buttery crust and smooth tangy filling for a refreshing dessert.

# List of ingredients:

→ Tart Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 tablespoons cold water

→ Lemon Filling

07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 2 large egg yolks
10 - 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
11 - Zest of 2 lemons
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
13 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add cold butter and rub in with fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Mix in egg yolk and cold water just until dough forms. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
02 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into pan, trim excess, and prick base with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 8–10 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
03 - Whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Place over simmering water and whisk constantly until mixture thickens and reaches 170°F, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in butter cubes until smooth.
04 - Pour lemon filling into cooled tart shell and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling is silky and sharp without being sour, balanced perfectly by the buttery crust.
  • It looks impressive but comes together with simple pantry staples and fresh lemons.
  • Every bite feels bright and clean, the kind of dessert that resets your palate after a heavy meal.
02 -
  • Always whisk the filling constantly over the double boiler or it will scramble, and I learned this the hard way with a grainy first attempt.
  • Let the crust cool completely before adding the filling, or the heat will make it soggy and ruin the texture.
  • Use a thermometer to check that the filling reaches 170 degrees, because guessing led me to runny tarts more than once.
03 -
  • Brush the baked crust with beaten egg white and bake for two extra minutes to seal it, which prevents the filling from soaking through.
  • Zest the lemons before juicing them, because trying to zest a juiced lemon is nearly impossible and I have tried.
  • Freeze leftover egg whites in an ice cube tray for meringues or macarons later, and label them so you do not forget.

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