Tarte au Citron Recipe

Tarte au citron is the jewel of French patisserie: a crisp, buttery shell filled with a silky lemon curd that is bright, tangy and just sweet enough. It looks effortlessly elegant yet comes together with simple ingredients. Serve it lightly dusted with icing sugar for a dessert that never fails to impress.

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

1 hr 5 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

420

Ingredients

• 200 g plain flour
• 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 50 g icing sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 4 large lemons (about 200 ml juice, zest of 2)
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Rub the cold butter into the flour and icing sugar until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg yolk and cold water, then bring the dough together gently without overworking it.
2. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, which keeps the pastry crisp and prevents it from shrinking in the oven.
3. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface and line a 20 cm tart tin, trimming the excess. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 15 minutes.
4. Line the shell with baking paper and baking beans, then blind-bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 10 minutes until pale golden.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice, zest, caster sugar, eggs and cornflour in a heatproof bowl. Set it over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until the curd thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 8 minutes.
6. Take the bowl off the heat and whisk in the butter a few cubes at a time until the curd is glossy and smooth. Strain it through a fine sieve for a perfectly silky finish.
7. Pour the warm curd into the baked tart shell and smooth the top. Bake at 170°C (325°F) for 10 minutes, just until the filling is set at the edges with a slight wobble in the centre.
8. Cool the tart completely at room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour before slicing. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Pro tips

• Use unwaxed lemons if you can, since the zest carries most of the flavour.
• Do not let the curd boil, or the eggs will scramble and the texture will turn grainy.
• A metal tart tin with a removable base makes neat, clean slices much easier.
• The tart keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days; bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Frequently asked questions