Tender shortcrust pastry shell, heavenly fruity cream: if you like lemons, you'll love this summer tart recipe!
Taste and Occasion
Tarte au citron, the traditional French lemon tart, results in summer feelings on your pie plate all year round. The cake is as simple as it is delicious. And the combination of a delicate shortcrust and deliciously sweet and fruity lemon cream is genuinely perfect.
Admittedly: Purely visually, such a flat original tarte au citron seems a bit puny at first 😉 . But as soon as you test the first bite of the French lemon tart, everything makes sense. Because the aroma is incredibly intense, and the consistency reminds me almost more of pralines (filling) than cake. Wonderful! And since the tarte au citron is so flat, you can eat two pieces without guilt 😉 . But beware: the easy lemon tart is addictive! Just like its main element, by the way, a lemon curd alternative.
Ingredients
You will find various alternatives if you are looking for a good tarte au citron recipe. While some work with a "raw" lemon cream, which becomes firm to the cut by an extended cooling time, others, like me, bake the cooked lemon mixture with it. My alternative to the French lemon Tart (which I first posted in 2017 on my German blog) is not complicated at all. I promise!
How to make the Lemon Tart
Let's get started: For the shortcrust pastry, mix flour, sugar and salt. Add egg and cold butter in flakes or small pieces to the bowl and knead into a smooth dough. It is best to work with the dough hook first and then again briefly by hand. Now, form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
After this, preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Roll out dough between plastic wrap or on a floured work surface into a large circle, enough for the bottom of a 10-11 in / 26-28 cm tart pan, including a small rim (about 0.75 in / 2 cm). Place in the pan and trim any dough overhanging the edge with a sharp knife.
It's time for pricking the bottom several times with a fork and pre-baking for about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the lemon cream: For this, wash the lemons under hot water, dry them, and grate them. Cut them in half and squeeze out the juice. Measure out 150 ml of the lemon juice. Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add the butter in small pieces and stir until melted.
We're almost done: Beat the eggs with a fork, turn down the heat to low-medium with the lemon-sugar mixture and whisk in the beaten eggs. Let the cream thicken slightly for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. The lemon curd must never boil. Otherwise, the eggs will set, and the cream will flocculate. Spread the lemon curd on the pre-baked base and smooth it down. Bake the tart for another 20 minutes. The cream may still be a little soft. If the surface gets too dark towards the end, just cover it with foil. Allow the tart to cool, and then very carefully cut it into pieces, as it is very thin and crumbly. Enjoy your little lemon wonder!
Top Tip
If you like, you can double the amount of cream right away and eat the rest for breakfast. The lemon curd filling is tremendously creamy and fruity.
Recipe Card
Lemon Tart
Equipment
- 1 tart pan (10-11 in / 26-28 cm)
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 220 grams (1 ⅘ cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 grams (⅓ cup) sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg, medium
- 110 grams (½ cup) butter, cold and in flakes
For the topping
- 3 lemons , large ones, for 150 ml juice & zest
- 150 grams (⅘ cup) sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 100 grams (⅖ cup) butter
- 5 eggs, medium
Instructions
- For the shortcrust pastry, mix flour, sugar and salt. Add egg and cold butter in flakes or small pieces to the bowl and knead into a smooth dough. It is best to work with the dough hook first, then again briefly by hand.
- Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Roll out dough between plastic wrap or on a floured work surface into a large circle, enough for the bottom of a 10-11 in / 26-28 cm tart pan, including a small rim (about 0.75 in / 2 cm). Place in the pan. Trim any dough overhanging the edge with a sharp knife.
- Prick the bottom several times with a fork and pre-bake for about 12 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the lemon cream. Wash the lemons under hot water, dry them, and grate them. Cut them in half and squeeze out the juice. Measure out 150 ml of the lemon juice. Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, add the butter in small pieces and stir until melted.
- Beat the eggs with a fork. Turn down the heat to low-medium with the lemon-sugar mixture and whisk in the beaten eggs. Let the cream thicken slightly for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly. The lemon curd must never boil. Otherwise, the eggs will set, and the cream will flocculate.
- Spread the lemon curd on the pre-baked base and smooth it down. Bake the tart for another 20 minutes. The cream may still be a little soft. If the surface gets too dark towards the end, just cover it with foil. Allow the tart to cool, and then very carefully cut it into pieces, as it is very thin and crumbly.
Ingredient substitutions
Variations
Maybe you'd like to try this cake this week? It doesn't matter if it's called lemon tart, tarte au citron or lemon curd tart. The name is a minor matter with this flavor anyway 🙂 … By the way: my chocolate tart is also more than delicious! For all lemon lovers, I recommend the classic sheet cake, the lemon almond cake without flour and the lemon cookies.
About Kathrin & Jan
It's like a little miracle to me every time. Seemingly simple ingredients are made into something that can brighten up your life. Butter, sugar, eggs, and flour melt into an airy biscuit, a fine tart, a juicy cake, or a crispy biscuit. Baking simply makes you happy. Welcome and enjoy our blog!
Kathrin & Jan
Absolutely wonderful one 🙂 So glad to find you !
Thank you 🙂