Creamy Lemon Tart Recipe | The Best Homemade Lemon Dessert (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.

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.

A runny lemon tart could be the result of two things: not cooking the filling long enough or not chilling the tart long enough. To know how long to cook the filling, you'll need an instant-read thermometer. The filling should reach 175 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit before it's pulled from the heat.

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).

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.

Blind-bake your base before adding a filling to help to firm the base and avoid liquid being absorbed into it. Prick the base with a fork to help steam escape, cover with foil or parchment, and weigh it down with ceramic baking beans, uncooked rice or white sugar.

The point is to try and not let any mix spill over the sides because you don't want it under the pastry. Once you've successfully got it in there, you can relax and let it bake for 20-30 minutes. You will know the tart is done when you can gently nudge the tin and the mix wobbles like set jelly.

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.

Starch thickens pastry cream. Most recipes incorporate flour, cornstarch, or a mix of the two. I found that flour produced a thicker, heavier texture and imparted an undesirable “floury” taste.

Curdling in lemon curd can occur if the mixture is heated too quickly or if the eggs are cooked at a very high temperature.

Are Meyer lemons more tart? ›

Compared to sour Eureka and Lisbon lemons (the varieties you'll find year-round at most grocery stores), Meyer lemons are sweeter and less acidic, with lovely floral undertones.

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

What is the hex code of Lemon Tart colour? Which colour family does Lemon Tart belongs to? Lemon Tart is one of the shades of yellow colour and its hex code is #FAF3CC.

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.

If the meringue mixture becomes flat or runny when the sugar is added then it usually means that the egg whites were not quite whisked enough before the sugar was added. It sometimes helps to whisk the whites, then add a tablespoon of sugar and whisk the whites back to medium peaks before adding the rest of the sugar.

Burr explains that custard, especially ones that are heavy on fruit, have a tendency to split as a result of the moisture content and too-high oven temperatures. This is the chief issue you'll encounter when baking a lemon tart.

Richard's solution: Tough pastry is very common, but easily avoidable. It usually occurs when you've been a bit heavy-handed with the water when you're initially bringing the pastry together (by adding water to the flour and butter), or if you have over-worked the dough and developed the gluten in the flour.