Lemon Tart Buttery Crust (Printable)

A bright lemon tart nestled in a crisp, buttery shortcrust pastry, ideal for elegant spring meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Buttery Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

→ Lemon Filling

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
11 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
13 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

14 - Powdered sugar for dusting
15 - Thinly sliced lemon wheels
16 - Fresh berries or mint leaves

# How-To Steps:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F
02 - In a food processor, pulse together flour, powdered sugar, and salt until evenly blended
03 - Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs
04 - Add egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, then pulse just until dough comes together, adding additional water if necessary
05 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface, form into disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes if time permits
06 - Roll out dough to fit 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom, press into pan, trim edges, and prick base with fork
07 - Line pastry with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes
08 - Remove weights and parchment paper, then bake additional 10 minutes until lightly golden, then cool slightly
09 - In large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, melted butter, and salt until smooth
10 - Pour filling into warm crust and bake 20 to 25 minutes until center is just set but still slightly wobbly
11 - Cool tart completely on wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving
12 - Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with lemon slices, berries, or mint as desired

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry is forgiving and develops that shatteringly crisp texture even if you've never made tart dough before.
  • Lemon is nature's brightest flavor, and this filling lets it sing without apology or drowning in sugar.
  • You can make it the morning of a dinner party and it actually tastes better after a few hours of chilling.
02 -
  • The filling's wobble is not a sign of failure—it's exactly what you want; overbaking even by five minutes transforms it from silky to dry and chalky.
  • Never skip the cooling step before chilling; a warm tart will crack as it cools, and you'll wonder what went wrong when actually you just needed patience.
03 -
  • If your crust cracks during rolling, simply patch it with a small piece of dough; these imperfections disappear once baked and no one will ever know.
  • For extra richness, brush the warm baked crust lightly with egg wash before adding the filling—it creates a glossy, professional finish.
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