Creamy Lemon Tart (Printable)
Silky lemon filling on a crisp, buttery crust—bright zest and chilled smoothness for an elegant dessert.
# What You'll 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
14 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
15 - Fresh berries or candied lemon slices
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Combine all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
03 - Incorporate the egg yolk and 2 tablespoons cold water. Pulse just until dough begins to form. Add up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary.
04 - Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press into a disk, then wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
05 - Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Gently fit into a 9-inch tart pan, pressing into corners. Trim excess and prick base with a fork. Freeze for 10 minutes.
06 - Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake an additional 8–10 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.
07 - Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
08 - Whisk heavy cream, granulated sugar, eggs, egg yolks, finely grated lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until fully combined and smooth.
09 - Pour lemon filling into the baked crust. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are just set and center is slightly jiggly.
10 - Let tart cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
11 - Dust surface with powdered sugar and garnish with 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.