Looking for cool, refreshing summer desserts, I came across the lemon tart recipe and decided to try it out. I quickly realized that I wasn’t entirely sure what a tart was. Turns out tarts are simply a pastry crust with a uncovered filling. They are generally thinner than pies and once cooked hold their form outside of their pan.
The filling for a lemon tart is called lemon curd and consists of eggs yolks, sugar, and butter. Traditionally cooked with a double boiler method, getting the right consistency requires fairly precise temperatures and timing. In order to avoid overcooking, I chose a sous-vide style of cooking the eggs.
I decided to make my own pastry crust, but for those who want to spend less time making this, a premade crust works fine.
The BEST Lemon Tart Recipe
Tart Crust
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup almond flour
1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed, very cold
- Preheat oven to 375°
- In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk, cold water, and vanilla
- Using a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment, mix the flour, almond flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder
- While mixing, add in the very cold butter cubes. Continue mixing until you achieve a consistency like cornmeal.
- Add in the egg mixture and and beat until smooth.
- Gather the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes
- Roll out the dough making a thin sheet and place in the tart pan. Using a fork poke some holes in the bottom.
- Bake at 375° for about 12 minutes until crust begins to brown
- Allow to cool and set aside to add the filling
Lemon Curd
8 egg yolks, blended
1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature (3 ½ sticks)
- Heat a pot of water to 149°
- Place the egg yolks in a zip top bag expelling as much air as possible
- Cook the yolks for 35 minutes, maintaining a water temp of 149°
- While the eggs are cooking, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan
- Boil until the sugar dissolves completely (takes 2-3 minutes)
- Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature
- When the eggs have finished cooking, immediately submerge the bag into ice water
- Pour the cooked egg yolks into a blender (cutting a corner of the bag and emptying it like an icing bag makes this a little easier)
- Gradually add the sugar and lemon syrup while blending
- Add the cubes of butter gradually and blend until homogenous.
- Add the lemon zest and perform a final blend
- Pour the mixture into your tart crusts and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours. The liquid mixture will thicken to become firm.
- Serve cold with a dollop of whipped cream
*Adapted from Modernist Cuisine
If you are feeling particularly industrious, make your own whipped cream to top off this lemon tart recipe!
Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
- Chill a stand mixer bowl for about 10 minutes
- Add the whipping cream and sugar
- Using a whisk attachment, whip the cream on high speed until stiffened
Lemon Tart Recipe
Looking for cool, refreshing summer desserts, I came across the lemon tart recipe and decided to try it out. This flavorful treat will become your go-to summer recipe!
Ingredients
Tart Crust Ingredients
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed, very cold
Lemon Curd Ingredients
- 8 egg yolks blended
- 1.5 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2-3 lemons
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1.75 cup unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
Instructions
Tart Crust Directions
-
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-
In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk, cold water, and vanilla.
-
Using a stand mixer with a flat beater attachment, mix the flour, almond flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
-
While mixing, add in the very cold butter cubes. Continue mixing until you achieve a consistency like cornmeal.
-
Add in the egg mixture and beat until smooth.
-
Gather the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
-
Roll out the dough making a thin sheet and place in the tart pan. Using a fork, poke some holes in the bottom.
-
Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes until the crust begins to brown.
-
Allow to cool and set aside to add the filling.
Lemon Curd Directions
-
Heat a pot of water to 149 degrees.
-
Place the egg yolks in a zip top bag expelling as much air as possible.
-
Cook the yolks for 35 minutes, maintaining a water temp of 149 degrees.
-
While the eggs are cooking, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.
-
Boil until the sugar dissolves completely (about 2-3 minutes).
-
All the syrup to cool to room temperature.
-
When the eggs have finished cooking, immediately submerge the bag into ice water.
-
Pour the cooked egg yolks into a blender (cutting a corner of the bag and emptying it like an icing back makes this easier).
-
Gradually add the sugar and lemon syrup while blending.
-
Add the cubes of butter gradually and blend until homogenous.
-
Add the lemon zest and perform a final blend.
-
Pour the mixture into your tart crusts and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. The liquid mixture will thicken to become firm.
-
Serve cold with dollop of whipped cream.