Lemon Tarts

I'm a lover of anything pastry, and lemon tarts are probably my favourite. The perfect balance between the tartness of the lemons, sweetness from the cream and crispy pastry is just heaven to me. I made mini versions of these tarts but this recipe works perfectly well as one large one.

You can always buy ready made pastry and make the lemon filling from scratch, but home made pastry tastes even better…especially this one!

Either continue scrolling for the step by step recipe or watch my full YouTube tutorial here!

My pastry edges are shrinking during blind baking. How can I prevent this?
Pastry shrinkage can happen if the dough is stretched too much when lining the tart tins or if it hasn't been chilled enough before baking. Ensure that the pastry is fitted snugly into the tins without stretching, and chill the lined tins in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before blind baking
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter for the pastry?
Yes, you can use salted butter, but remember to adjust the amount of additional salt in the recipe accordingly to avoid over-salting the pastry.
Does this recipe work with other citrus fruits such as orange or lime?
In theory, yes it does. However this recipe is designed to have the perfect balance of sweetness against the tartness of the lemon, so other fruits may alter the taste and flavour balance.

My pastry edges are shrinking during blind baking. How can I prevent this?
Pastry shrinkage can happen if the dough is stretched too much when lining the tart tins or if it hasn't been chilled enough before baking. Ensure that the pastry is fitted snugly into the tins without stretching, and chill the lined tins in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before blind baking
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter for the pastry?
Yes, you can use salted butter, but remember to adjust the amount of additional salt in the recipe accordingly to avoid over-salting the pastry.
Does this recipe work with other citrus fruits such as orange or lime?
In theory, yes it does. However this recipe is designed to have the perfect balance of sweetness against the tartness of the lemon, so other fruits may alter the taste and flavour balance.

FAQs and Troubleshooting

Blind bake with precision! Blind baking the pastry ensures that it cooks through properly without becoming soggy when filled. Don't forget to dock the pastry with a fork to prevent air bubbles!
When baking the filled tarts, keep a close eye on the lemon filling. It should be set with a slight wobble in the center when done. Overbaking can result in a tough or rubbery texture, so it's crucial to monitor the baking time carefully.
After baking, allow the lemon tarts to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating them. This helps the filling set properly and enhances the flavors. Additionally, chilling the tarts in the fridge for a few hours before serving ensures a firmer texture and easier slicing.

Blind bake with precision! Blind baking the pastry ensures that it cooks through properly without becoming soggy when filled. Don't forget to dock the pastry with a fork to prevent air bubbles!
When baking the filled tarts, keep a close eye on the lemon filling. It should be set with a slight wobble in the center when done. Overbaking can result in a tough or rubbery texture, so it's crucial to monitor the baking time carefully.
After baking, allow the lemon tarts to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating them. This helps the filling set properly and enhances the flavors. Additionally, chilling the tarts in the fridge for a few hours before serving ensures a firmer texture and easier slicing.

Blind bake with precision! Blind baking the pastry ensures that it cooks through properly without becoming soggy when filled. Don't forget to dock the pastry with a fork to prevent air bubbles!
When baking the filled tarts, keep a close eye on the lemon filling. It should be set with a slight wobble in the center when done. Overbaking can result in a tough or rubbery texture, so it's crucial to monitor the baking time carefully.
After baking, allow the lemon tarts to cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating them. This helps the filling set properly and enhances the flavors. Additionally, chilling the tarts in the fridge for a few hours before serving ensures a firmer texture and easier slicing.

Top Tips

Pastry:

Combine plain flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl
Add the butter and lemon zest to the flour mixture and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles a fine sand-like consistency.
Beat the egg and mix it into the flour-butter mixture until a dough forms
Knead the dough until smooth, then flatten it into a disk, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 20 minutes
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the chilled dough thinly using a rolling pin
Cut the dough into quarters for small tart rings or adjust according to the size of your tin
Line the tart tins with the rolled-out pastry, pressing it firmly against the sides of the tins
Trim off any excess pastry and poke holes in the bottom of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from rising
Chill the lined tins in the fridge for 15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F with fan or 180°C/355°F no fan
Scrunch up squares of baking paper and line the pastry in the tins
Fill the lined tins with baking beans, rice, or dried beans and blind bake the pastry for about 15 minutes or until the edges of the pastry start to brown
Remove the beans and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the pastry has an even golden brown colour
Allow the pastry to cool completely and reduce the oven temperature by 20°

Lemon Filling:

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until light in colour
Slowly mix in the cream, followed by the lemon juice and zest
Skim off any foam from the top of the mixture using a spoon
Carefully pour the lemon filling into the cooled tart cases.
Bake the tarts for 30-40 minutes or until the filling is just set with a slight wobble in the centre
Allow the tarts to cool completely, then refrigerate for a couple of hours to set further
Decorate the chilled tarts with piped chocolate or any desired toppings
Lemon tarts can last in the fridge for up to 4 days

Pastry:

Combine plain flour, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl
Add the butter and lemon zest to the flour mixture and rub the butter into the flour until it resembles a fine sand-like consistency.
Beat the egg and mix it into the flour-butter mixture until a dough forms
Knead the dough until smooth, then flatten it into a disk, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for 20 minutes
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the chilled dough thinly using a rolling pin
Cut the dough into quarters for small tart rings or adjust according to the size of your tin
Line the tart tins with the rolled-out pastry, pressing it firmly against the sides of the tins
Trim off any excess pastry and poke holes in the bottom of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from rising
Chill the lined tins in the fridge for 15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F with fan or 180°C/355°F no fan
Scrunch up squares of baking paper and line the pastry in the tins
Fill the lined tins with baking beans, rice, or dried beans and blind bake the pastry for about 15 minutes or until the edges of the pastry start to brown
Remove the beans and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the pastry has an even golden brown colour
Allow the pastry to cool completely and reduce the oven temperature by 20°

Lemon Filling:

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until light in colour
Slowly mix in the cream, followed by the lemon juice and zest
Skim off any foam from the top of the mixture using a spoon
Carefully pour the lemon filling into the cooled tart cases.
Bake the tarts for 30-40 minutes or until the filling is just set with a slight wobble in the centre
Allow the tarts to cool completely, then refrigerate for a couple of hours to set further
Decorate the chilled tarts with piped chocolate or any desired toppings
Lemon tarts can last in the fridge for up to 4 days

Method

Mixing bowl
Fork
Rolling pin (or substitute with a wine bottle)
Tart rings or tart tin(s)
Baking paper
Baking beans, rice, or dried beans for blind baking
Cling film
Whisk
Spoon
Cooling rack
Piping bag

Mixing bowl
Fork
Rolling pin (or substitute with a wine bottle)
Tart rings or tart tin(s)
Baking paper
Baking beans, rice, or dried beans for blind baking
Cling film
Whisk
Spoon
Cooling rack
Piping bag

Equipment

Pastry:

200g plain flour
100g cold unsalted butter
60g egg
5g sugar
2g salt
1/2 lemon zest
Extra flour for dusting

Filling:
200g (4) eggs
110g sugar
130g double cream
2 lemons juiced and zested
Chocolate to decorate

Pastry:

200g plain flour
100g cold unsalted butter
60g egg
5g sugar
2g salt
1/2 lemon zest
Extra flour for dusting

Filling:
200g (4) eggs
110g sugar
130g double cream
2 lemons juiced and zested
Chocolate to decorate

Ingredients

My pastry edges are shrinking during blind baking. How can I prevent this?
Pastry shrinkage can happen if the dough is stretched too much when lining the tart tins or if it hasn't been chilled enough before baking. Ensure that the pastry is fitted snugly into the tins without stretching, and chill the lined tins in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before blind baking
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter for the pastry?
Yes, you can use salted butter, but remember to adjust the amount of additional salt in the recipe accordingly to avoid over-salting the pastry.
Does this recipe work with other citrus fruits such as orange or lime?
In theory, yes it does. However this recipe is designed to have the perfect balance of sweetness against the tartness of the lemon, so other fruits may alter the taste and flavour balance.