Lemon curd tart has the perfect balance between sweet and tart with a shortbread buttery crust that will melt in your mouth upon the first bite! It comes together super quick, using 6 simple ingredients, and will definitely have guests wanting more!
This lemon tart recipe is the perfect dessert once warmer weather rolls around. Even though it’s an easy recipe, you will notice that everyone will ooo and ahh over it! Depending on the decorations, you can also make it for special occasions like wedding and baby showers.
One of my favorite things about lemon curd is that it can be used in many different ways. Often I will make a extra batch just to keep on hand so if I get a hankering for lemon cream cheese pie or lemon sponge cake, it’s doesn’t take a lot of time to make because the curd is already done. You can also use other citrus fruits to make a variety of curds. Pineapple curd and strawberry curd were on the top of my list last year. Next time I may try my hand with oranges.
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🍋 Ingredients:
- granulated sugar
- freshly squeezed lemon juice – adds so much flavor. For more sweetness use Meyer lemons.
- large eggs and large egg yolks – bring to room temperature.
- lemon zest – when grating, don’t grate the white rind. It’s bitter and it will change the taste of the curd tart.
- salted butter – if using unsalted butter, add a dash of salt.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
The dreamy lemon curd filling in this tart goes perfectly with fresh berries, whipped cream, or a little powdered sugar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Lemon curd tartlets – follow the same instructions except using a mini muffin pan or regular muffin tin depending on the size you would like.
- Homemade whipped cream – to decorate the top with cream, add one cup heavy whipping cream to the bowl of your stand mixer. Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add a little bit of powdered sugar and continue whipping on high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe decorations on top.
- Crust: Feel free to use another variety of shortbread cookie that will provide the same buttery shortbread consistency and flavor or swap in a graham cracker crust.
- Stronger lemon flavor: For a stronger lemon flavor in the lemon tart filling, consider adding in a small amount of lemon extract or lemon oil.
- Pre-made Lemon Curd: I often have homemade creamy lemon curd in my refrigerator or freezer. If you have lemon curd at your disposal, simply follow the tart crust recipe, fill with the room temperature lemon curd, and bake according to the instructions.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Grease a 10 inch tart tin with baking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in heatproof glass bowl in the microwave.
Step 1: Pulse the cookies in a food processor so they are fine crumbs.
Step 2: Stir in the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 3: Press crust into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Use a flat bottom measuring cup to compact.
Step 4: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
Pro Tip: The best way to ensure you get the perfect lemon curd is to keep the heat low and stir constantly so the eggs don’t scramble.
Step 5: Whisk the sugar, whole eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest, and butter in the medium saucepan over low heat.
Step 6: Whisk the mixture constantly until it thickens, so it doesn’t burn.
Step 7: The lemon mixture should thicken after 8-10 minutes. If not, increase the heat to medium, but no more.
Step 8: Over a small bowl, pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to strain the seeds, lumps, and zest.
Step 9: Transfer the tangy lemon curd to the pie crust. Use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to smooth evenly. Bake for 4 more minutes to help the curd set.
Step 10: Cool completely at room temperature, then chill for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
GARNISH: Transfer the lemon curd tart onto a serving tray. Garnish with berries, lemon slices, edible flowers, etc.
Recipe Tips for Lemon Curd Tart
- We blind bake the pie crust so it is solid enough to be able to hold the lemon curd filling. You don’t want to bake it all at one time, as the curd will become overcooked.
- You don’t have to strain the lemon curd tart, but it does make for a glossier finish.
- For best results, use a tart pan with a removable bottom; it will be your best friend! If it seems like it will be hard to get out, you can serve it from the pan or line the pan with parchment paper beforehand.
- I used Lisbon lemons for this recipe. Meyer lemons are a bit sweeter – if you use Meyer lemons to make your curd, you can reduce the sugar a bit. Eureka lemons are closer to Lisbon in tartness.
- If you are going to decorate the lemon tart, do so right before serving. Be sure to pat dry any moisture from fruit and make sure that any flower blossoms are edible and clean.
Fun Fact
The lemon tart actually originated in France, and is known as Tarte au citron. -French Moments
Recipe FAQs
This lemon tart can be stored for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Cover your tart tightly with plastic wrap when storing it in the tart dish so that the tart filling doesn’t absorb any other odors from other foods in the refrigerator.
Absolutely! This lemon tart can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Never add your freshly baked tart to the freezer. It should cool down completely first on a wire rack and only then be added to the freezer. Make sure to cover your tart dish tightly with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil when freezing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator in preparation for serving.
Lisbon lemons are a great choice of lemon when it comes to making the lemon tart filling. If these can’t be sourced then I recommend you use another lemon with similar tartness such as Eureka lemons.
Sweeter lemons such as Meyer lemons can also be used. You may wish to reduce the amount of sugar called for in this recipe to find the right sweet and tart balance of the filling (unless you prefer a much sweeter lemon curd tart!).
Yes, you can. If you don’t feel up to making your own tart crust from scratch then feel free to use a store-bought crust.
I’ve made this tart with buttery shortbread cookies. It’s incredibly easy and makes this lemon version super delicious. You also only need 1 full package of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies to get a nice thick crust that will hold together when you pop it out of the tart pan.
Consider making a few homemade tart crusts and then store them in the freezer for quick and convenient use whenever the need arises.
If you’ve been whisking your lemon curd mixture for longer than 10 minutes and the curd is still not thickening, simply turn the heat up slightly but don’t go beyond the medium heat setting.
Lemon tart is a baked dessert tart made with a biscuit base and a lemon curd filling. The lemon tart is usually served plain but can also be garnished with fresh fruit such as fresh blueberries and slices of lemon.
The lemon filling in a lemon tart can vary depending on the region it’s made, but usually it differs from a lemon meringue pie or lemon cheesecake in that it contains an egg mixture without the addition of milk or cheese.
More Desserts For Lemon Lovers
If you tried this Lemon Curd Tart Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Lemon Tart
Ingredients
Lemon Tart Crust
- 1-10 oz. package Lorna Doone shortbread cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
Lemon Tart Filling
- 1⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest grated finely
- ½ cup salted butter cut into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10” tart pan with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse all cookies until finely crumbled.
- Add the melted butter to the cookie crumbles and pulse until the cookie crumbs begins to clump together.
- Press crumbs into a tart pan and tamp down with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or tamper to compact.
- Bake crust for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and butter pieces.
- Heat over medium low, whisking constantly.
- After cooking and whisking for 8-10 minutes, the mixture should begin to thicken. If it does not thicken, turn the heat up just a bit, but keep it at medium heat or below.
- Pour the lemon filling through a sieve to remove any zest, stray seeds, or lumps.
- Pour filling into the baked crust and use an offset spatula to spread it smooth.
- Bake for an additional 5 minutes to help set the lemon filling.
- Cool completely and then chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
- Pop the tart out of the tart pan and place on a large serving plate.
- Top with lemon slices, fresh berries, edible flower petals, etc.
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Notes
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