Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)

Name: Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 120 gm butter (soft); 50 gm icing sugar; 3 egg yolks; 250 gm all purpose flour; Pinch of salt; 2 tbsp water; 150 gm castor sugar; 2 lemons (zest); 5 whole eggs; 85 ml lemon juice; 150 ml double cream; Pinch of salt; 1 drop almond extract; Whipped cream; Olive oil; Lemon zest; Sea salt flakes

A buttery and delicate pastry crust (Pâte Sucrée) filled with a fresh and zingy lemon custard, baked until just set and served with whipped cream, olive oil, sea salt flakes and lemon zest. The only dessert to make for spring or summer.

In culinary school we learned to make lemon tarts but we made them with lemon curd and they were not baked lemon tarts. I was not a fan of the lemon curd tarts and hence wrote off lemon tarts as something I Wass not fond off, until I tried baked lemon tarts. This is a baked lemon tart that is filled with a lemon flavored custard cream base. I have used a buttery and tender pastry crust (Pâte Sucrée) to make its well which is a sturdy option for the delicate and soft lemon filling. This recipe is inspired by my personal taste of what a lemon tart should taste like in my opinion and Raymond Blanc.

If you are a little daunted by this recipe I am here to clear any doubts you might have with this blog. We will go through each step and discuss some important points to achieve the perfect lemon tart every single time you bake it. We will also talk about a few FAQ’s when making this tarte au citron. It is a simple recipe where you do not need any fancy ingredients to make it but it does require a little technique to prepare. So let us take it back to the basics.

What does tart mean?

The dictionary definition of a tart is an open pastry case containing a sweet or savory filling. The tart shell can be blind baked ahead and filled with a variety of flavors, fillings, options. Some recipes call for the pastry shell to be bake twice, once blind and once after filling. The word tart can also be referred to tasting sour or tangy.

Where did lemon tarts come from?

Lemon tarts or tarte au citron comes from France. It is famous in all bakeries, cafes and boulangeries.

What is a tart in French?

A classic French tart is made with a sweet buttery shortcrust base/pastry and filled with a variety of fillings, such as custard, fresh fruits, fruit curds, jam, etc. The fillings will vary depending on the recipe and so will the garnish. Some examples of French tarts are fruit custard tart, French apple tart, French custard tart, etc.

What are the four types of tarts?

In saying the above tart are broadly divided into 4 types, fruit tarts, custard tarts, chocolate tarts and savory tarts.

What is the history of lemon tart (tarte au citron)? What is the history of the French tart?

The history about lemon tarts is a little vague as even though lemons were introduced to the roman empire during the second century AD, lemons were also found in the middle east and brought to Europe. Interesting fact about lemons is that James Lind helps its geographical expansion as an ingredients was used to help seamen with scurvy in the 1700’s. In saying this fruit curds and custards are credited to the English around 19th century. The same goes for this baked lemon tart, it gained its popularity in the 19th century in France, the lemon tart was so revered that it was served to the King as a symbol of wealth and goodness.

What is French lemon tart made of?

A French lemon tart is made of a sweet pastry base and filled with a lemon custard. The base is made of flour, butter, sugar, egg yolk to make a sweet pastry crust. While the filling is made with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, double cream, sugar, eggs. Some recipes call for corn flour as well but not this one.

The different parts of a lemon tart:

The pastry base
The lemon filling
The garnish

What ingredients do you need to make lemon tart?

To make the pastry we need all purpose flour, sugar, butter, egg yolk, water and salt. To make the lemon filling we need lemon zest, lemon juice (freshly squeezed), sugar, eggs, double cream, salt. I have served it with a whipped cream that is not sweetened, scented with almond extract, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh lemon zest on top.

What equipment do you need to make lemon tart?

To make the pastry case we need a mixing bowl and a pastry cutter or your fingers to rub the flour and butter together. I like storing the pasty wrapped in cling wrap. To make the custard you need a mixing bowl and whisk. I have used a microplane to zest the lemon. The art is baked in a 9 inch tart tin but you could use a 10 inch tin as well, ideally a loose bottom tin so it can release easily once baked.

How to make lemon tart from scratch at home?

To make the pastry:

In a mixing bowl mix the soft butter and icing sugar to pale cream like consistency; then beat in the egg yolks. Add the flour and, with your fingers, rub the butter mixture and flour together until crumbly in texture. Add the water and press the mixture together to form a ball. Briefly knead the dough until combined. Wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes before using. Roll out the dough between two sheets of paper paper to 1/4th of an inch. Line your 9 inch tart tin with the rolled out dough, cut off excess pastry by rolling the pin over the top edge of the tin. Take a small ball of the excess pastry and gently press it all around the base of the tart to ensure it fits well and chill for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 160℃, dock the pastry by poking it with a fork, cover with baking paper and blind bake with baking weights or raw rice. Bake for 10 mins, remove the baking weights and bake for another 18 minutes until dry to the touch.

To make the lemon custard:

In a mixing bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together, add the lemon juice and whisk for a few seconds. Add the cream and whisk it in until smooth.

Baking the lemon tart:

Preheat the oven to 140℃. Pour the custard into the pastry case and carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the edges are just set and the center is jiggly. Allow it to set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream, olive oil and sea salt flakes.

How to serve a lemon tart?

A classic baked lemon tart is delicious on its own but it is commonly served with whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Alternatively it can also be topped with Italian meringue and torched to make a lemon meringue tart. I have served it unsweetened whipped cream, lemon zest and a little drizzle olive oil which is not a traditional garnish but I love the taste with the lemon.

Storing leftover lemon tart options?

The leftover baked lemon tart slices can be stored in air tight containers in the fridge for 1 week without the whipped cream. I have made the pastry shell ahead of time (2 days ahead) and baked with it later, hence you can make it ahead. The custard once mixed should be poured into the pastry case and baked. I have also frozen the lemon tart slices in air tight containers in the freezer for 2 weeks, when ready to eat, allow it to defrost and serve – I don’t always prefer this as it may not defrost and the custard might not be smooth.

Frequently asked questions about lemon tarts:

Why does my lemon tart taste eggy?

Lemon tart filling is basically a lemon flavored custard which includes eggs(whole, yolks, whites), lemon (zest & juice), sugar, cream. If the tart tastes eggy then the tart filling is overcooked. In saying this, lemon tart does have a very specific after taste that might be a little strong for some.

Why is my lemon tart runny?

A custard is set with eggs, if the custard is runny it is because the custard has not set which could be related to underbaking or the oven temperature etc.

Why didn’t my lemon tart set?

There could be a number of reasons for this to happen, the filling was not whisked properly, the tart was not baked enough so the custard didn’t set, the tart was not allowed to set/chill before slicing. The oven temperature was too low or too high.

How do I stop my lemon tart from cracking?

If your lemon tart cracks it means the tart filling was over baked, it is important to take the tart out of the oven when there is a jiggle in the center of the tart, the custard must be just set on the sides and the center must be still wobbly.

Pro tips to make the perfect lemon tart at home:

Blind bake the pastry crust before baking the tart with the filling – this ensures no soggy bottom once baked.
Whisk the lemon filling custard well or else it will split or not set while baking.
To remove any excess bubbles on top of the filling before baking pour the custard through a sieve or run a blow torch on the top to remove them.
Preheat the oven before placing the tart inside or else it will not bake evenly.
Bake the tart at a low temperature in the oven to allow the custard to set and the pastry case to not get too brown on the outside.
Make sure to under cook the filling, there should be a slight wobble in the center when you remove it/shake it. This will ensure it has a perfectly soft texture once it has set.
Allow the tart to set in the fridge before slicing – do not rush this step. Hence always make this lemon tart ahead of time.

Looking for more lemon dessert recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Lemon Tart aka Tarte au citron, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.

Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Chill Time 2 30

Course Brunch, Dessert, High Tea, Pie, Sweet tooth, Tart, tea time

Cuisine france, French

Servings 10 people

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Cling wrap
Rolling Pin
Baking paper
Baking weights
Whisk
Fork

Ingredients

Pastry dough (Pâte Sucrée)

120 gm butter soft
50 gm icing sugar
3 egg yolks
250 gm all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp water

Lemon custard filling

150 gm castor sugar
2 lemons zest
5 whole eggs
85 ml lemon juice
150 ml double cream
Pinch of salt
1 drop almond extract

Serve with (optional)

Whipped cream
Olive oil
Lemon zest
Sea salt flakes