Lemon Tart Buttery Crust (Printable Version)

Bright lemon tart featuring a crisp, buttery crust and silky citrus filling, ideal for elegant gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Buttery Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Lemon Filling

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
16 - Fresh berries or mint leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven to 350°F and allow to reach temperature.
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined.
03 - Add cold cubed butter to the dry mixture and pulse until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of ice water, pulsing just until dough comes together. Add additional tablespoon of water if needed for proper consistency.
05 - Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes if time permits.
06 - Roll out chilled dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough evenly into pan, trim excess edges, and prick the base with a fork.
07 - Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment. Continue baking for 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool briefly.
08 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
09 - Pour filling into the warm crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the center is just set but maintains a slight wobble.
10 - Allow tart to cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
11 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, fresh berries, or mint leaves as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crust is genuinely foolproof: Cold butter and a food processor mean you'll have something restaurant-worthy without the stress of lamination or special technique.
  • It tastes like spring in one bite: Bright, tart, creamy, and buttery all at once, with enough elegance to make you feel like you've done something complicated when you really haven't.
  • It keeps beautifully: Bake it a day ahead, chill it, and you've freed yourself from last-minute panic on dinner night.
02 -
  • Room-temperature filling in a warm crust is your secret: If your filling is cold and your crust is hot, the bottom won't set properly and you'll end up with a soggy base. Let the filling sit out for 5 minutes while the crust bakes its final 10 minutes.
  • That slight wobble in the center is not a mistake: Many people overbake this tart because the filling looks underdone, but it will firm up completely as it cools. Trust the jiggle test and take it out a minute earlier rather than later.
  • Lemon juice separates if it sits too long: If you make the filling more than an hour before baking, the acid will start to curdle the eggs. Make it fresh and bake it right away.
03 -
  • If you're worried about the crust shrinking, chill it in the pan for 30 minutes before blind baking: Cold dough remembers its shape better and shrinks less, which means you get a more even tart.
  • Sieve your filling before baking to catch any bits of coagulated egg white: This one step makes the final texture impossibly silky and professional-looking.
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