This Classic Lemon Tart is absolutely guaranteed to steal the show at the next school pot-luck or picnic! My local French patisserie closed down a couple of years ago and I was pining for their beautiful lemon tart so decided to have a go at my own.
I’m the first to admit that I’m no baker but with this recipe, I have to say I got pretty close to the original! Tangy, creamy lemon filling with a rich and buttery pastry, it’s as French as they come and makes a wonderful dessert or tea-time treat.
To make the Classic Lemon Tart, you will need the following ingredients:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt together in a bowl.
Cut the cold butter into the flour using a fork or pastry cutter (or if you prefer, a food processor on the pulse setting). The mixture should form fine crumbs.
Add the cold water to the mixture and gently mix until it starts to form a dough. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 10-inch fluted tart pan
Take the dough out of the fridge. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough out into a circle to fit the tart pan. Gently drape the circle of dough over the pan and press it into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the excess dough from the sides of the case.
Line the pastry case with parchment paper and add dried beans to the center. Bake it for 15 minutes, before removing the beans and parchment and baking for a further 5 minutes. The case should start to turn golden brown. Take it out of the oven and put to one side to cool.
Bring a pan of water to a simmer and put a small heat-proof bowl on top (if you have a double boiler you can use this instead). Add the butter for the filling and sour cream (crème fraiche) and stir until melted together. Put to one side.
Place another bowl over the pan, add the eggs, egg yolks and sugar and whisk together. Add the lemon juice and whisk in. Cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Then add the zest and sour cream (crème fraiche) mixture and cook for another 3 minutes, still whisking. The mixture should be thick and creamy.
Pour the lemon filling into the pastry case. Refrigerate the tart for approximately 4 hours, until the filling becomes firm to the touch.
Serve the tart at room temperature (with a spoonful of sour cream).
This Classic Lemon Tart is absolutely divine and makes a very impressive dessert. As you can see, though it takes a while it’s not a complicated recipe so have a go and unleash the baker in you! I’d love to hear how you get on so don’t forget to come back and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Does not look sexy, but is very delicious. I have modified this recipe a bit.
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