Tarte au citron: French lemon tart

Tarte au citron, the traditional French lemon tart, ensures summer feelings on the cake plate even in the darkest moments. Just the thing for the first grey autumn days! The combination of a slightly sweet short pastry crust and a deliciously sweet, fruity-sour lemon cream is perfect. Whether with or without a meringue cap.

After all, there are many (good) varieties of lemon tart. One is Tarte au citron meringuée or the American variation Lemon Meringue Pie, both crowned with a light egg snow-sugar mixture. And then the flat French original Tarte au citron. While some prepare it with a "raw" lemon cream, which is firm after extended cooling, others bake the boiled lemon mass with it. So do I. My recipe is not complicated by any means. And if you like, you can double the amount of cream and eat the rest for breakfast. I prepare the topping for this simple tarte au citron according to my proven Lemon Curd recipe, but with slightly different amounts of ingredients. Delicious!

Somewhat unusual for the high-cake-used German eater is that the lemon tart becomes quite flat after all. But that's supposed to be 😉 . But then it is allowed to take two pieces. Usually, they do - because, as Jan recently said, the Tarte au Citron is quite addictive.

I love the color alone. It always reminds me of sunflower fields and holidays. And if both are not real at the moment, then at least on the table, right?

Maybe you'd like to try the cake this week? Whether as a lemon tart, tarte au citron, lemon pie or lemon curd tart. The name is a minor matter with this taste anyway 🙂

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5 from 2 votes

Tarte au citron (lemon tart)

Crispy short pastry base, fruity lemon cream: This delicious tart from France is a culinary highlight! The Lemon Curd also tastes pure.

Prep Time15 mins

Baking Time35 mins

Resting time30 mins

Servings: 8 tart mold

Calories: 432kcal

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

• 200 grams flour
• 60 grams sugar
• 1 egg
• 100 grams butter soft or cold and in flakes
• 1 pinch salt

For the covering

• 3 lemons for 150 ml juice & abrasion
• 100 grams butter
• 150 grams sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1.5 teaspoon cornflour

Measures in Metric units - Measures in U.S. Customary units

Instructions

• For the shortcrust pastry, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add egg and soft butter or cold butter in flakes and knead until smooth. Form a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F top and bottom heat. Roll out the dough to the size of a tart mold (with rim); place in the mold and raise one hand. Cut off any excess paste with a sharp knife. Prick the base several times with a fork and bake for approx. 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the lemon cream. Wash lemons hot, dry and rub. Cut into halves and squeeze out the juice. Measure 150 ml lemon juice. Mix lemon juice, lemon dust, sugar and cornflour in a pot. Bring to the boil and add the butter in small pieces.
• Whisk the eggs with a fork. Turn down the stove with the lemon and sugar mixture to medium heat and stir in the whisked eggs with a whisk. Let the cream thicken for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let the Lemon Curd boil, as this will cause the eggs to set and the cream to flocculate.
• Spread the lemon cream on the pre-baked base. Bake the tarte for another 20 minutes. Attention, towards the end, the tart can become dark; it is better to cover it with foil. It is best to cool the tarte a little before slicing it.

Nutrition