Lemon Tart Buttery Crust (Printable Version)

Zesty lemon filling in a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry offers an elegant spring 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 - Preheat oven to 350°F
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, pulsing just until dough comes together and adding additional water if needed.
03 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes if time allows.
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 crust for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper, then bake another 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool slightly.
06 - In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
07 - Pour filling into warm crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until center is just set but still slightly wobbly.
08 - Cool tart completely on a wire rack. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
09 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, fresh berries, or mint leaves if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust is ridiculously crispy and melts the moment it touches your tongue, no soggy bottoms or tough edges.
  • That filling is pure sunshine in custard form—bright without being aggressively sour, and the texture is silky rather than rubbery.
  • It looks like you spent all day in a French patisserie, but honestly, it's medium difficulty and totally doable.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step after blind baking; it's the difference between a crust that stays crisp all the way through and one that absorbs moisture from the filling and becomes soggy.
  • The filling should jiggle just slightly in the very center when you remove it from the oven—if it looks completely set, it's overcooked and will have a rubbery texture rather than silky custard.
  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice; bottled juice is flat and acidic without the brightness that makes this tart sing.
03 -
  • If your crust cracks slightly during rolling, you can patch it with a small piece of dough and a dab of water—no one will ever know, and it works like a charm.
  • Blood orange juice or lime juice can replace up to half the lemon juice for a different flavor profile that's equally stunning.
  • Make sure your lemon juice is truly fresh by squeezing it just a few hours before baking; the flavor fades within a day or two.
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