Apr 12, 2018, Updated Jul 04, 2023
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
The Simple Ingredients You Need
Frozen Puff Pastry dough provides the main structure for the lemon tart. No need to fuss with a shortbread crust or homemade tart crust (although feel free to try my easy No-Roll Pie Crust recipe). Fresh Lemon Juice helps to balance out the sweetness of the granulated sugar and salt. Finely Grated Lemon Zest adds an extra layer of citrus flavor to the filling. Granulated Sugar lends a lovely sweetness to every bite. Coarse Salt enhances flavor by cutting through some of the sweetness of the sugar. Eggs help to thicken and bind all the ingredients together. I love that this easy recipe uses whole eggs rather than separating egg yolks and whites. Cold Unsalted Butter contributes richness and creaminess that elevates each mouthful. Whipped Cream (for Serving) makes a delightful accompaniment to slice of tart heaven! Lastly, Thinly Sliced Lemon (for Garnishing) adds a refreshing garnish that will impress your guests!
How to Make This Easy Lemon Tart
How to Blind Bake the Tart Shell
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Roll out the puff pastry and place it on a pie pan. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork several times to prevent it from rising. Cover it with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, then bake for about 20 minutes until it turns golden brown.
How to make the Lemon Tart filling
Whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming hot and all of the sugar is dissolved. Whisk eggs in a heatproof spouted measuring cup, then slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot lemon mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the rest of the lemon mixture while whisking slowly, cooking it until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in some cold butter then scrape the mixture into already-baked crust. Refrigerate it for an hour until filling sets.
How to Serve
Once the filling is set, you can garnish it with whipped cream and thin lemon slices (or fresh berries) for pretty presentation. Serve the tart cold as a refreshing dessert, or room temperature.
Make Ahead & Storage
You can make this lemon tart a day ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve. Keep in mind that pastry gets harder and tougher the longer it is refrigerated (this is because the fridge’s temperature accelerates staling of the starches in the crust). Store leftover lemon tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes:
One large lemon typically yields around 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Buy extra to garnish, and use a mandoline or sharp knife to carefully cut thin slices. I used my great aunt’s rectangular tart pan, which is a treasure I keep on my counter filled with utensils typically, but I had the sudden urge to actually use it as intended. Although I remember my aunt mostly for her Christmas sweets, it makes me smile to think she served many homemade pies in this scratched up old tin. If there’s any excess lemon curd (it’ll depend on the size of your pan), refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 1 week and enjoy it on toast, scones, yogurt, chia pudding, ice cream, or straight-up with a spoon.
