Lemon Tart

A crisp shortcrust pastry topped with a sharp, velvety cream. The clean acidity of the lemon cuts through the rich butter for a perfectly balanced bite.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 636
• Protein: 10 g
• Carbs: 74 g
• Fat: 32 g

Ingredients

• 166.7 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 133.3 g Minimum butter sweet ( cold and diced )
• 166.7 g White sugar ( divided )
• 3.3 piece Egg ( fresh )
• 2.7 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( for juice and zest )
• 0.7 pinch Fleur de sel

Instructions

1. Sandy dough base

   In a mixing bowl, combine flour, white sugar, and a pinch of sea salt. Add cold diced butter. Work with your fingertips until you get a sandy texture, without warming the fat.

2. Binding and resting

   Add the whole egg. Push the dough away with the palm of your hand on the work surface to smooth the mixture without making it elastic. Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

3. Blind baking

   Roll out the dough to 3mm thickness. Line a buttered tart tin. Prick the base. Bake at 180°C until the crust is uniformly golden and firm to the touch.

4. Lemon curd preparation

   Zest two lemons and squeeze the juice from all four. In a saucepan, whisk the remaining eggs with sugar. Pour in the juice and zest. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly.

5. Thickening and emulsifying

   When the cream thickens and coats the spoon, remove from heat. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the butter pieces vigorously to emulsify. The cream should become glossy.

6. Filling

   Pour the mixture into the baked tart shell. Smooth with a spatula. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Chef's tips

• Do not overwork the dough after adding the egg, or it will become elastic and shrink during baking.
• For a perfect cream, whisk in the butter when the lemon curd is around 45°C for a stable emulsion.

Storage

Keep for 48 hours in the refrigerator. Do not freeze to preserve the crispness of the pastry.