Lemon Tart Recipe

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful than this Lemon Tart? The perfectly fluted crust, golden color, and the garnish of lemon slices **tiny daisies, and mint leaves let you know it’s something special.

Tarts are one of my favorite French food classifications. I like to make savory tarts, like my recent Ratatouille Tart, ideal for a summer dinner, and of course lots of sweet tarts like this Fresh Strawberry Tart. Each tart recipe has its specific crust, filling, and flavor profile.

My Lemon Tart has a sable crust that is simple to make in the food processor and will stand up to this thick, custard filling that has enough tartness to keep you interested!

Honesty, my favorite part of this tart is the garnish. When the tart has completely cooled and just before serving, garnish the tart. Begin by slicing a lemon in very thin rounds and remove any seeds. Lay the lemon slices on paper towels to absorb the surface moisture. Scatter fresh mint leaves as the base of the garnish. Place the lemon slices on the tart, decorating only one side. Dot tiny **daisies around the tart to complete the look and you are ready to slice the tart into generous wedges.

**A note about garnishing with flowers. It’s important to research what flowers are edible before using them in and on food. Daisies are edible flowers; however, you only want to use flowers that are organically grown. Any flowers that have had chemical fertilizer or pesticides are not suitable for food.

Lemon Tart

Crust

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup cold butter

½ cup+ 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese softened

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cream

½ cup fresh lemon juice (3 large lemons)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 large eggs

Garnish Options

Lemon wedges

Edible flowers

Small lemons cut orbitally

To prepare the crust, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process to combine.  Add cold butter to the processor and pulse until dough forms a ball.  Press dough into an 8-9-inch tart pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and chill the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. To prepare the filling, combine sugar, cream, and cream cheese and whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, next add lemon zest and juice and mix well. Pour into the prepared tart pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is set. Garnish as desired just before serving.

One of my favorite things about this Lemon Tart recipe is how easily it translates to other sizes of tarts. It’s fun to make 2-3 6 inch tarts or 5-6 4 inch tarts. It might be really fun to serve everyone their own personal lemon tart at your next dinner or celebration!

I hope you’ll enjoy this Lemon Tart Recipe and please tell me, what is your favorite tart flavor?

XO Lorie

Join me for An Evening of French Cooking, August 18^th, 6:00-9:00  an immersive culinary and cultural experience, and enjoy an evening of fun, French food, and wine.  We’ll master each dish side-by-side and wind our way through this sumptuous menu so jam-packed with fresh food and flavor READ MORE…