Lemon Tart Buttery Crust (Printer-friendly)

Zesty lemon filling nestled in a crisp, buttery shortcrust for a bright, elegant finish.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt until combined. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, then pulse just until dough comes together, adding additional water if needed.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
04 - Roll out dough to fit a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan, trim edges, and prick base with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
05 - Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper, then bake another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and salt until smooth and well combined.
07 - Pour filling into warm crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the center is just set but still slightly wobbly.
08 - Cool tart completely on a wire rack. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
09 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, fresh berries, or mint leaves as desired.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The crust is genuinely foolproof once you understand the cold butter trick, and it stays crisp even hours later.
  • That filling tastes like spring in a bite, bright enough to wake you up but silky enough to feel indulgent.
  • You can make it ahead and chill it, which means you're actually relaxed when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Overbaking the filling turns it grainy and rubbery—that slight jiggle in the center is exactly right and will set as it cools.
  • Lemon juice is the star, so squeeze it yourself and taste it; if your lemons are old or mealy, the whole tart suffers.
03 -
  • Your lemon zest matters more than you'd think—add it at the very end so the brightness doesn't fade during baking.
  • If the filling surface starts to brown before the center sets, drape a loose sheet of foil over the tart for the last few minutes of baking.
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