Classic Lemon Tart

By Melissa Clark

Updated October 11, 2023

  • Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
2 hours, plus at least 2 hours’ cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Rating
4(486)
Comments
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This classic lemon tart has a buttery, shortbread crust and a soft, dense lemon curd filling that barely holds its shape when you cut a slice. The textures should be a combination of crunchy and velvety; the flavor, sharp and tangy, with just enough sugar to take the edge off the citrus. This version has all of that, with one tweak for ease. Instead of making a traditional dough that needs to be shaped with a rolling pin, this one has a simple press-in-the-pan cookie crust made with melted butter. For a nutty-scented brown butter crust, let the butter cook until it turns golden. This tart is at its best when served on the day it’s baked, but it’s still delightful a day or two later (though the crust will lose some of its crispness). Store it in the refrigerator and serve it cold or at room temperature.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

FOR THE CRUST

  • 8 tablespoons/113 grams unsalted butter

  • 1 ¼ cups/173 grams all-purpose flour

  • ½ cup/73 grams confectioners’ sugar

  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

FOR THE CURD

  • 12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter

  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

  • 1 cup/237 milliliters freshly squeezed lemon juice (5 to 7 lemons)

  • 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar, more to taste

  • 3 large eggs

  • 3 egg yolks

  • Large pinch fine sea or table salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

54 grams carbs; 200 milligrams cholesterol; 516 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 32 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 203 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 35 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the crust: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. (If you like, you can let the butter cook until it browns and smells nutty, 2 to 4 minutes longer.)

  2. Step 2

    Whisk together flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and, using a spatula, mix until well combined. Press this into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, using a measuring cup if you like to flatten the tart shell and make sure it’s even. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 months (wrap in plastic if storing for more than 4 hours).

  3. Step 3

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line tart dough with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the crust is very lightly golden at the edges and baked through on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool. (Tart shell can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept at room temperature.)

  4. Step 4

    Make the curd: Put butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter is melted and mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, yolks and salt. Whisk the hot mixture gradually into the eggs to temper them. Then pour everything back into the saucepan and return to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees; do not overcook, or it will curdle), about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. Taste and add a bit more sugar if you like. It should taste tart but balanced.

  6. Step 6

    Spread the curd (it’s OK if it’s still warm) into the tart shell, spreading it evenly with a small offset spatula or butter knife. Return to the oven to bake until the curd is just set along the edges but still jiggly in the center, about 7 to 15 minutes. (It will continue to firm up as it cools.) Transfer back to the wire rack to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving. If the curd still looks a little loose after cooling, you can chill the tart for an hour or two before serving. Note that it’s a soft curd but shouldn’t be runny.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
486 user ratings
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Comments

Carolyn S.

The recipe sounds wonderfully simple. However, ever since my husband and I lived in Eugene, Oregon several decades ago we have had fond memories of a tart lemon tart that included a layer of dark chocolate under the lemon curd. Could that be incorporated into this recipe?

Julie

I think that combo would be great. I love the flavors of lemon and chocolate together. I would paint on a thin-ish layer of chocolate on the crust after it has completely cooled . I would allow the chocolate to set up before you add the lemon curd. And I would cool the curd somewhat to ensure you don't remelt the coholate and make a smear.

Sue Fisher

I use a large coffee filter when blind baking and it never sticks.

Mary

To those that added a dark chocolate layer ~ Did you use melted chocolate alone or did you mix it with a little heavy cream to make it more spreadable/less hard when cooled?

MarleeO

I just added semi sweet chocolate chips straight onto the crust for the second half of the crust bake after pulling the weights off. They melt into very spreadable chocolate, and it gives the crust some stability.

StuKin

Sort of like a lemon cheesecake minus the cheese. When forming the crust, make your life easier by using a heavy, round meat pounder to press everything into shape. Forget about those dainty little meat ponders. You want something with real heft. I bought mine many years ago for about $100. but it might cost double that today. The weight will give you a good workout. This is the answer to making bottom crusts that will hold together like a hockey puck.

Mary

Is it possible to use King Arthur gluten free flour in the crust? We have several family members that are gluten free.

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