girl. Inspired.

travel, food, design

  • TRAVEL
  • FOOD
    • Breakfast
    • Breads
    • Main Course
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Soups|Salads|Side Dishes
    • Sauces|Dips|Salad Dressings
    • Cake Decorating
      • Inspiration and Ideas
      • Tips and Tutorials
  • Design
    • Craft/DIY
    • Sewing
      • Patterns and Tutorials
      • Pattern and Product Reviews
      • Sewing Ideas and Inspiration
    • Parties
  • Blog
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe

Lemon Tart

May 6, 2022 by girlinspired Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
half of a lemon tart captured in the image, garnished with fruit and flowers with ingredients scattered around
Baked and garnished lemon tart with blueberries, slices of lemon and white flowers, seated on a white marble surface with a striped cloth and ingredients positioned around and text overlay

This stunning and classy Lemon Tart boasts the perfect balance between sweet and tart with a buttery shortbread crust that will melt in your mouth upon the first bite!

This simple yet sophisticated lemon tart can be enjoyed as a tea-time sweet treat or zesty dessert served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

A serving of lemon tart on a white plate with the whole tart next to it, seated on a white marble surface with fresh fruit garnish and a striped cloth

Keep your masterpiece plain or get creative by decorating it with some fresh berries and edible flowers! This lemon tart recipe is the perfect dessert for special occasions, an afternoon girls’ tea, or for the family to enjoy together. 

If you love fresh and zesty lemon desserts, be sure to also try something just as refreshing such as this irresistible Key Lime Pie!

lemon tart garnished with fresh blueberries and slices of lemon with raw ingredients in the background, and a striped cloth next to the tart

Table of contents

  • What is a Lemon Tart?
  • Variations and Substitutions
  • FAQs
  • Tips For Making Lemon Tart
  • More Zesty Lemon Treats

What is a Lemon Tart?

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.

Variations and Substitutions

  • While this lemon tart’s filling does not include milk or cheese, you could add in some of these ingredients to make more of a custard lemon filling which is more aligned to the way lemon tart is made in Britian.
  • I’ve used a package of Lorna Doone shortbread cookies to make the tart 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.
  • For a stronger lemon flavor in the lemon tart filling, consider adding in a small amount of lemon extract or lemon oil.
a slice of garnished lemon tart on a white plate with fork atop a marble surface with a striped cloth and remainder of the whole tart in the background

FAQs

How Should I Store My Dessert Tart?

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.

Can I Freeze this Tart?

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. 

Are There Any Specific Lemons That Should Be Used for Lemon Tart?

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 but then you’ll need to reduce the amount of sugar called for in this recipe otherwise you will upset the sweet and tart balance of the filling (unless you prefer a much sweeter lemon tart!). 

Can I Use Store-Bought Pie Crust For This Lemon 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. 

What Can I Do If My Lemon Curd Doesn’t Thicken?

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.

Baked and garnished lemon tart with blueberries, slices of lemon and white flowers, seated on a white marble surface with a striped cloth and ingredients positioned around

Tips For Making Lemon Tart

  • When making the filling, you’ll soon realize that it’s pretty much the same as making lemon curd. While there are various methods for making a good lemon curd, I usually opt for the simplest which merely involves adding all the ingredients at once in a saucepan, heating the mixture slowly and stir constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. 
  • Again, you want to make sure that you cook the lemon curd slowly on a medium heat. You will end up curdling the mixture if it becomes too hot or boils too hard.
  • For a smooth and glossy result, strain the lemon curd. Some people skip this step and the tart still comes out just as delicious.
  • A tart pan or tart shell with a removable bottom will become your best friend when it comes to easily removing your baked pastry. If you don’t have one, you will just need to work a little more carefully when removing the tart dough and ensure the tart is chilled to assist the process. 
  • Having all your lemon curd ingredients at room temperature prior to cooking will help them to combine smoothly and cook properly.  
  • Have fun decorating your tart. While this is completely optional, I always love doing it – making the tart particularly pretty to serve. Only add fruit to your tart just prior to serving and make sure that it is completely dry. Clean edible flowers are another pretty addition or dusting with icing sugar!

More Zesty Lemon Treats

  • Lemon Rolls With Citrus Cream Cheese Icing
  • Lemon Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
  • Lemon Crepe Cake
Baked and garnished lemon tart with blueberries, slices of lemon and white flowers, seated on a white marble surface with a striped cloth and ingredients positioned around

Lemon Tart

Silky smooth baked Lemon Tart is made with a shortbread cookie base, a zesty lemon filling, and garnished with fresh blueberries, slices of lemon, and edible flowers. It's the perfect Summer dessert to enjoy for a special occassion or as a casual family treat!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 442kcal
Author: girlinspired
Prevent your screen from going dark

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 tbsp 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.
    shortbread cookies added to the bowl of a food processor, set on a white marble background with ingredients and striped cloth in the background
  • Add the melted butter to the cookie crumbles and pulse until the cookie crumbs begins to clump together.
    shortbread cookies pulsed in a food processor bowl, placed on a white marble surface with ingredients and a striped cloth in the background
  • Press crumbs into a tart pan and tamp down with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or tamper to compact.
    lemon tart cookie base pressed into the bottom and sides of a tart pan, seated on a white marble service with raw ingredients and striped cloth scattered around
  • Bake crust for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
    baked cookie crust placed on a white marble surface with raw ingredients and striped cloth in the background
  • In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and butter pieces.
    sugar, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and butter pieces mixed in a medium saucepan with ingredients and the baked cookie crust in the background
  • Heat over medium low, whisking constantly.
    whisking the lemon tart filling ingredients in a saucepan over heat with ingredients and striped cloth in the background
  • 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.
    lemon tart thickening as it continues to be heated, with striped cloth and baked crust in the background
  • Pour the lemon filling through a sieve to remove any zest, stray seeds, or lumps.
    lemon tart filling strained through sieve to remove excess zest and lumps
  • Pour filling into the baked crust and use an offset spatula to spread it smooth.
    lemon tart filling poured into the baked cookie crust, placed on a white marble surface with a cut lemon and striped cloth in the background
  • 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.
    baked lemon tart that's decorated with fresh blueberries, sliced lemons and edible flowers, placed on a white marble surface with raw ingredients scattered around
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Notes

Pro Tip: I don’t recommend making your tart crust without the butter since it probably won’t hold together when you pop it out of the tart pan but if you’re happy to serve your tart straight out of the tart pan then go right ahead. 

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 1047IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Filed Under: Desserts, Food and Recipes Tagged With: lemon, lemon curd

« Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mexican Street Corn »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About Stef
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Sharing Policy

It is my hope that you will find inspiration on the Girl. Inspired. blog. All photos are copyright protected by Girl. Inspired. If you wish to share something that you have seen here, I am absolutely thrilled! Please use only one picture with a direct link back to the project you are referencing. Thank you so much for your understanding!

Privacy Policy

What are You Looking For?

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Child Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress

10 shares