I’ve never been a huge cake fan at birthday parties, so when I was little, my mom would usually make something a little different like a key lime pie or some other citrusy dessert. This lemon tart is right up that alley and takes a page from the French cookbook. Using a recipe for a flaky French pie crust with a tart and zesty lemon filling results in a delicious dessert perfect for special occasions (hello, Mother’s Day!).
how to make french lemon tart
For this recipe, you’re going to start by making the crust. You can certainly make things quicker by using a store-bought crust, but we all know homemade is always better. While the dough does have to refrigerate for about two hours before you can use it, making it is actually very simple.
You’ll just need some flour, butter, water, and salt. You mix it all together, refrigerate, and then roll it out when it’s ready to use. And there you have your crust!
Making the lemon curd for the filling is equally simple and can be done in just a few minutes. You’ll just heat some beaten eggs, sugar, and butter in a saucepan, add the lemon juice and zest, and allow it to thicken into a gelatinous curd filling. Super easy.
Then you just fill your pie shell, bake, and you’re done! See below for the full instructions and some tips for making your crust. I hope you enjoy!
⟶ the recipe
French lemon tart (tarte au citron)
ingredients
For the crust
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
½ cup ice water
1 teaspoon salt
For the filling
6 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups of sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
Zest and juice of 4 lemons
Prep time
2 hours and 30 minutes
Cook time
45 minutes
Total time
3 hours and 15 minutes
Makes 1 9-inch tart
instructions
Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl, and then add the butter cubes. Either using a pastry cutter or your bare hands, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it has been thoroughly mixed in and is a mealy texture.
Slowly drizzle in the ice-cold water, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. The dough may still feel pretty dry at this point, but try not to add any additional water. Using your hands, mix the dough together and knead lightly until the dough is a smooth texture. Shape it into a ball and place on a floured work surface. Flatten the dough until it forms a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
When you’re ready to make the tart, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out with a rolling pin, turning and flipping as you go to ensure an even consistency. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie dish, pressing down lightly on the edges to fit it into the dish. Blind bake the crust for about 10 minutes, and set it aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the curd filling by placing the beaten eggs, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan and heating over low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely. Add the lemon juice and zest, and continue to heat the curd, stirring constantly, until the curd has thickened. This should take about 5 minutes.
Pour the curd into the prepared pie shell, and bake the pie for 20-25 minutes until the center of the tart has set completely and is slightly browned on the top. Remove the tart from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar to serve.
⟶ recipe notes
- When blind baking the crust, place a piece of parchment paper on the dough and fill the dish with some weight like dried beans or lentils so it doesn’t puff up in the oven
⟶ make it ahead and store it
- The pie crust can be made and refrigerated for up to five days until you’re ready to use it. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to use the crust, place it in the fridge to thaw the night before
- Store the tart in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrap it in freezer wrap and freeze for up to 3 months
