The Lemon Cream Tart is the perfect dessert for those who love fresh flavors and contrasting textures. A crispy and fragrant butter shortcrust encloses a dense and citrusy custard, creating an elegant yet simple dessert to make. It is a timeless vegetarian recipe, ideal for a family Sunday or to end a lunch with friends with freshness.
The secret to impeccable success lies in letting the dough rest and baking slowly, allowing the cream to stabilize without losing its creaminess. Let’s discover how you can prepare this lemon delight by following these steps
The almond tart, the jam tart, the Benevento tart or even the creamy Nutella tart.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for preparing the lemon cream tart
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 lemon peel (grated)
- 3 cups Milk
- 4 Egg yolks
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 lemon
- as needed Powdered sugar
Tools for preparing the lemon cream tart
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- 1 Bowl
- 1 Rolling pin
- 1 Baking pan 10 x 8
Preparation of the Lemon Cream Tart
Quickly work the butter pieces with the flour until a sandy mixture is obtained. Add the sugar, the egg, the lemon zest, and a pinch of salt; knead quickly until you have a homogeneous dough. Place it between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out slightly: this way it will be much easier to use after resting in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting, prepare the cream: work the egg yolks with the sugar, flour, and a little milk from the total. Add the remaining milk, the zest, and the filtered lemon juice. Cook everything over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cream coats the spoon. Transfer it to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap in contact to cool without forming a skin.
Finish rolling out the dough and line a tart pan with parchment paper. Place about 3/4 of the dough as the base and prick the bottom with a fork. Pour the now warm cream, leveling it well, and use the remaining dough to form the classic decorative stripes on the surface.
Bake your tart in a static oven at 350°F for about 45-50 minutes, placing it in the middle-lower part of the oven to bake the base well. Once ready, let it cool completely (this is crucial for slicing!), dust with plenty of powdered sugar and serve.
Tips for a perfect result
Cold dough: work the dough as little as possible with your hands to avoid warming the butter; the crumbliness of your tart relies on this.
Baking the base: if you see that the stripes are browning too quickly, cover the tart pan with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
The lemon juice: adding it to the cream will give it an intense fragrance and a tart note that perfectly balances the sweetness of the crust.
Variants
With pine nuts: add a handful of pine nuts on the surface before baking to transform it into a kind of “grandmother’s cake” open style.
Whole wheat crust: replace 100 g of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a more rustic taste.
Berries: before pouring the cream, you can spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the crust base.
Storage
In the refrigerator: due to the richness of the cream, the tart should be stored in the fridge and consumed within 2-3 days.
Service: remove it from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving to fully enjoy the fragrance of the crust.
Now it’s your turn!
The Lemon Cream Tart is a hug of sweetness that smells like sunshine. It’s the dessert that immediately makes a party and never gets old, perfect for any season.
Do you like to enjoy it cold from the fridge or do you prefer the cream slightly warm? Write it in the comments and don’t forget to tag me on social media when you make it!
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Why do I need to put plastic wrap in contact with the cream?
It prevents air from drying out the surface of the cream, creating that unpleasant rubbery layer while it cools.
Can I prepare the dough the day before?
Absolutely! Dough prepared in advance is even easier to roll out and better holds its shape during baking.
What if the cream remains too liquid?
Ensure you boiled it for a minute after it thickened; if it’s still too runny, add a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk and heat again for a moment.
