French Lemon Tart Recipe

This French lemon tart recipe pairs crisp sweet shortcrust pastry with a smooth, tangy filling made from fresh lemons, eggs, sugar, and cream. Known as tarte au citron, it is a lovely finish to dinner: bright with citrus, rich enough for a small slice, and ready to chill ahead of your guests. Use my sweet shortcrust pastry or a store-bought dough to keep things simple.

If you enjoy fruit-filled French desserts, try my French apple tart and strawberry tart, too.

What Is Tarte au Citron?

Tarte au citron is a French lemon tart with a pastry shell and lemon filling. This version is a baked lemon custard tart: eggs, sugar, cream, lemon juice, and zest are mixed together, then baked gently in a blind-baked shell. The eggs set the filling in the oven; there is no separate saucepan of lemon curd to cook first.

Key Ingredients

• Fresh lemons: Both juice and finely grated zest matter. Juice supplies the tang; the yellow zest brings fragrant lemon oils. Zest before juicing and avoid the bitter white pith.
• Sweet shortcrust pastry: A crisp shell contrasts with the creamy filling. Homemade dough adds buttery flavor, while store-bought keeps this an easy lemon tart recipe to prepare.
• Eggs, caster sugar, and double cream: Eggs set the custard, fine sugar dissolves readily, and cream rounds out the sharpness. Use the quantities in the recipe information below.

NOTE: See recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions For Lemon Tart

• Pastry: Use homemade or ready-made sweet shortcrust dough. Plain pâte brisée makes a less sweet shell.
• Caster sugar: Superfine sugar is the North American equivalent. Ordinary granulated sugar can work; stir until it dissolves without beating lots of air into the eggs.
• Cream: Heavy whipping cream is a practical alternative to double cream, although its lower fat content gives a slightly lighter result. Do not replace it with milk.

The eggs are essential to this baked filling, so an egg-free version would need a different recipe. For a gluten-free shell, use a suitable pastry recipe and follow its own blind-baking instructions.

Variations For Lemon Custard Tart

• Keep the finish simple: Add a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving.
• Add fresh berries: A few raspberries or sliced strawberries provide color and a fresh contrast.
• Serve with cream: A spoonful of softly whipped, lightly sweetened cream softens the lemon tang.

Prefer a different fruit tart? My easy French apple tart or make a French tart with plums are other pastry-based desserts to try.

Kitchen Tools & Equipment

• 8 inch Tart
• or Pie Tin
• Baking Beans
• Adjustable Pie Crust Shield

(You can manage without the last 2 items, although they make baking easier, but you need a pie or tart tin.)

An 8-inch (20 cm) tart tin, preferably with a removable base, makes it easier to serve neat slices. Line the pastry with baking parchment and use baking beans or uncooked rice to support the shell during blind baking. A fine sieve helps remove egg strands from the filling.

Tin depth matters as well as diameter. Pour only as much filling as the shell can hold comfortably below its rim; do not force excess filling into a shallow tin or it will expand and run over the edge.

Place the tin on a baking sheet to make moving it easier.

How To Make Lemon Tart

1. Blind-bake the shell. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C/Gas 6). Roll out the pastry, line the greased tin without stretching it, and leave a little overhang. Prick the base, line with parchment, and add weights. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes to dry the base.

2. Mix the lemon custard. While the pastry bakes, whisk the eggs gently, mix in the sugar, then stir in the cream and lemon juice. Strain through a sieve and stir in the finely grated zest. Avoid whipping the mixture into a foam.

3. Bake gently. Reduce the oven to 300°F (150°C/Gas 2). Pour the filling into the shell and bake for about 1 hour. Look for set edges and a small, gentle wobble in the center, rather than a liquid ripple across the surface.

4. Cool and chill. Trim any pastry overhang carefully after baking. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing. Allow for this resting time when planning dessert; this simple lemon tart recipe is not a last-minute bake.

Secrets From Judith's Kitchen For Lemon Tart

• Let the pastry settle into the tin. Stretching it makes it more likely to shrink during baking. Chill it before baking if handling has made it soft.
• Keep the zest fine. Large shreds interrupt the smooth texture, while white pith can taste bitter.
• Dry the shell before filling. The extra uncovered bake helps keep the bottom from turning soggy.
• Give the custard a gentle bake. Too much heat or too long in the oven can cause cracks or a grainy texture.

Hint: For tidy slices, use a sharp knife and wipe the blade between cuts. Add powdered sugar at serving time when it is cold, so it does not dissolve into the filling.

What To Serve With Lemon Tart

Serve lemon tart on its own, or with fresh berries and a little softly whipped cream. Coffee or tea makes a simple companion. For a dessert selection, offer small portions alongside melt-in-your-mouth chocolate truffles or colourful French meringues.

Or alongside other fruit treats.

Best Wine To Pair With Lemon Tart

If you would like wine with dessert, choose a sweet white with enough freshness to sit beside the lemon, such as a Muscat-based dessert wine. A very dry wine can taste sharp next to a sweet tart. Coffee or tea is just as welcome.

French Lemon Tart FAQ

More French Dessert Recipes

• Crème brûlée for another gently baked custard.
• Pears in red wine for a make-ahead fruit dessert.
• French apple tart for a classic pastry dessert.
• Strawberry tart with orange cream cheese filling.