Lemon Tart Recipe | Tarte au Citron (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my lemon tart set? ›

A custard with both eggs and starch needs to be thoroughly cooked. The reason is that yolks contain an enzyme which liquidifies starch. It doesn't happen outright, but will happen while your tart is cooling. The only way to prevent it is to heat the mix high enough so the enzyme is deactivated.

If your lemon curd hasn't thickened, it may not have been heated enough. It can take up to 30 minutes of constant stirring to cook lemon curd, especially if it's a large batch. Remember that curd will thicken more once cooled.

Half-fill the tart case with lemon mixture, then place tart on an oven shelf, ensuring it's level. Fill to the rim with remaining filling (you may have a little left over). Bake until the tart is set but with a little wobble in the centre (about 30 minutes).

Take from the oven and whilst still hot carefully run around the edges of the tin with a serrated knife to trim the pastry overhang. Cutting whilst still warm will prevent the pastry from breaking. This next step is optional but I often do this when making a lemon tart, quiche or custard tart.

Ratio of Liquid to Thickener: If the recipe doesn't have the right balance of eggs (which act as a thickener) to liquid (lemon juice), the filling won't set properly. Solution: Ensure your recipe has enough eggs to set the lemon mixture. A good rule of thumb is about 2 large eggs per 1/2 cup of lemon juice.

Can you leave a lemon tart out overnight? It's best to refrigerate your lemon tart after serving to prevent the filling from going bad. Leaving it out overnight could spoil the tart and make it unsafe to eat.

Since the lemon filling batter is very thin and has a lot of eggs, bubbles do form easily during beating. After you pour the batter over the par-baked crust, give the pan a few light taps on the counter.

Ingredients in French Lemon Tart filling

You'll need 2 normal size lemons, or 3 smaller lemons. Butter – Unsalted butter, cut into cubes so it melts more evenly. Eggs – Eggs are what sets the lemon curd filling into a custard. We're using both whole eggs and egg yolks.

Why does my lemon tart crack? The most common reasons why your tart has cracked is because the oven was too hot or the tart baked too long and overbaked. We recommend pulling your lemon tart from the oven when it's still a little jiggly in the middle when the pan is gently shaken.

Once again, this will happen if the water evaporates out of the pastry before the heat can set it in shape. This will result in the all-too-common side collapses for blind baked tarts. So to recap – go easy on the water, chill until firm, and heat your oven to 180-200C to set your shape.

How can I thicken my tart filling? ›

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

Although lemon curd uses egg yolks and/or egg whites, the final product shouldn't taste eggy. If it does, it may mean that you've overcooked your eggs. In saying that, traditional lemon curd does have a distinct after taste which doesn't sit well with some.

2 1/2 Lemons = 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice. 4 Lemons = 3/4 Cup Lemon Juice. 5 1/4 Lemons = 1 Cup Lemon Juice.

If the filling is runny and flowing out of the tart when you cut into it, then it is likely that the curd was not cooked for quite long enough.

Cook lemon filling as directed

Not cooking the filling long enough will mean it won't ever set up and will be a soupy mess.

If your meringue has turned out runny, it means the egg whites haven't been whipped enough to create a stiff enough batter. Egg whites are best whipped with a wire whisk to create a frothy foam.