Lemon Curd Tart Recipe: Tips for Making a Lemon Curd Tart

For the tart crust:

• 81 grams (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) powdered sugar
• 127 grams (9 tablespoons) unsalted premium butter, softened, plus more to butter your tart ring
• 50 grams (1 large) egg
• 186 grams (1½ cups) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed for dusting
• 47 grams (⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon) cornstarch
• 1 gram (½ teaspoon) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the lemon curd:

• 8 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Note: The total time does not include at least 2 hours of inactive time.

Make the crust:

1. 1

   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the powdered sugar and butter for 30 seconds on low speed.

2. 2

   Add the egg, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and mix on medium speed until evenly combined.

3. 3

   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt.

4. 4

   With the mixer on low speed, stir in the flour mixture and vanilla bean paste until just combined and no more dry patches are visible, about 10 seconds more. Finish mixing the dough by hand to prevent overmixing. The dough should be creamy, smooth, and have the consistency of cookie dough.

5. 5

   Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface and sandwich it with another sheet of parchment paper, flattening it into a 1-inch-thick disk.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough disk to a sheet pan or baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, 30–45 minutes.

7. 7

   Liberally flour the work surface and a rolling pin. Unwrap the dough and transfer it to your work surface.

8. 8

   Roll the dough out into a rectangle about an ⅛-inch thick. (Make sure to work fast, so the dough doesn’t get too warm.)

9. 9

   Place the dough on a sheet pan, loosely cover it with plastic wrap, and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. (If your dough is still cold and easy to work with, proceed directly to the next step without chilling the dough sheet.) You can also roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment if you find that your rolling pin sticks to the dough. This method also helps when transferring the rolled-out dough onto the sheet pan before chilling it in the fridge.

10. 10

    Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slide the dough sheet onto a work surface. (Peel off the layers of parchment paper if using.)

11. 11

    Using the removable bottom of an 8-inch tart pan as a guide, cut a circle from the center of the dough sheet that is 1 inch wider than the outside of the ring so that the dough round will be big enough to come up the sides of the ring.

12. 12

    Butter the inside of the tart ring.

13. 13

    Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the tart ring with the removable bottom at the center of the pan, then place the dough round on top of the ring.

14. 14

    Push down gently with your fingers and press the dough along the inside of the ring, making sure to get into the inside edges. It’s important here not to press too hard and to keep the tart shell an even thickness so that it doesn’t bake unevenly.

15. 15

    Use a paring knife to trim the excess dough hanging over the edge of the ring. Return to the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. If your dough starts to feel warm and loses its shape, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes. Chilling the dough allows the gluten to rest. Working with dough that’s too warm or overworked will cause the finished product to shrink while baking.

16. 16

    While the tart shell chills, place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for conventional or 325 degrees Fahrenheit for convection.

17. 17

    Blind-bake the tart shell by lining it with parchment paper or a large coffee filter, so the surface of the dough is completely covered. Press the parchment completely to the side of the tart dough.

18. 18

    Fill the shell with rice, dried beans, or pie weights.

19. 19

    Bake the tart shell on the center rack for 8 minutes.

20. 20

    Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for 8 more minutes or until the tart shell is a light golden brown.

21. 21

    Lift the parchment to remove the weights and set them aside.

22. 22

    Unmold the tart shell while still warm.

23. 23

    Let the tart shell cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature.

Make the lemon curd:

1. 1

   In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks together.

2. 2

   In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, salt, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and water.

3. 3

   Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, constantly whisking, until hot (135 degrees Fahrenheit).

4. 4

   Increase the heat to medium and cook until the custard is thick, about 3 more minutes.

5. 5

   Reduce the heat to low.

6. 6

   Temper the egg yolks by slowly streaming a few spoonfuls of the hot curd into the yolks. Slowly add the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan.

7. 7

   Increase the heat to medium and cook until thickened. When the curd begins to bubble, whisk continuously for 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Remove the curd from the heat and whisk in the butter.

9. 9

   Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve.

10. 10

    Use a rubber spatula to push as much of the custard through the strainer as possible.

11. 11

    Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Assemble the tart:

1. 1

   To assemble the tart, fill the blind-baked crust with the lemon curd filling in an even layer.

2. 2

   Use a spatula to smooth the top.

3. 3

   Serve within 1 hour to maintain a crisp crust.

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