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What if you could make a gourmet dessert that's so ridiculously easy that it's... simply ridiculous? That's the story of this Crustless Lemon Tart! Of course, it doesn't hurt a bit that it's also ridiculously delicious, right?
I've gone through a lot of lemons this week. A ton of butter, sugar and flour as well. And my dishwasher has gotten a run for its money, with all the lemony dirty bowls, pans and utensils it's cleaned up for me. You see, I had a lemon dessert on my brain. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted but I knew it had to be super delicious and super easy. After lots of "so-so", "mediocre", "fussy", and/or "flops" this Ridiculously Easy Crustless Lemon Tart came into being. It's a winner and definitely meets the criteria!
I was looking for something else online and somehow this Crustless Lemon Tart popped up. As soon as I read the recipe (originally from popular Australian chef, Bill Granger) I knew I had to try it. It sounded like my kind of recipe; one bowl, no mixer and no fussing. The reviews were great so I gave it a go.
Ridiculously delicious
We LOVED this Crustless lemon tart from the first bite. It's tart but sweet with lots of bright lemon flavor and a smooth, custardy texture. It's delicious served as is... but add a dollop of whipped cream and a few berries and you've got a dessert you'd pay a fancy price for at a fine restaurant.
Sometimes we serve it on a pool of our Ridiculously Easy Raspberry Coulis which is just a fancy French name for a delicious raspberry sauce and comes together in minutes.
Ridiculously Easy
The first few times I made this lemon tart, I followed the directions, using one bowl and a whisk to put it together. Then I decided to try something even easier. I combined all the ingredients in my blender and gave it a good whirl... ridiculously easy! The results of both methods were spectacular -it works either way!
Oh, and speaking of ridiculously easy, that's actually one of our trademarks! Yep, we have a whole collection of recipes (everything from fancy desserts to breads... even appetizers and caramel corn!) that bear this description. You can read all about these recipes in this post but to keep things simple, this is my nutshell description: "The recipes that make you look like a kitchen rock star with minimal effort on your part."
Everyday pan
The original recipe called for a springform pan. I actually tried it in my best springform pan. The minute I poured the in batter the pan started leaking at the bottom seam. So much for that! Also, knowing lots of our readers don't have springform pans, I wanted to come up with another option. I adapted the recipe a bit and tried it in a 9-inch cake pan, greasing the pan well and making sure the tart is completely cool before turning it out onto a serving platter. You can see the results:
Edible flowers
If you haven't used flowers for dressing up your desserts and giving them lots of beautiful eye appeal, you're missing out on the fun! Although we don't generally eat the flowers, I always want to make sure that I don't have anything that might be poisonous even touching my food. The flowers you see in the post are Chamomille. Here are some other fun edible flowers.
As I said, we don't eat the flowers, they're there for a beautiful presentation and they always make our guests smile. I wash the flowers well with cool water when I get them home from the store. Then I pop them in a vase of with more water and let the flowers and leaves dry. When I want to use some for decorating a cake, they're ready to roll!
A clean cut tart
I love that this tart cuts so nicely into pretty wedges.
The custardy interior and slightly crisp edge are a nice contrast.
So whether you want to impress your guests (with minimal effort) or you just want to make an ordinary day special, take a few minutes (hands-on time) and make this delicious Crustless Lemon Tart. You'll be thankful time and time again to have this Ridiculously Easy up your sleeve!
Café Tips for making this Ridiculously Easy Crustless Lemon Tart
- You'll need a 9-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall. If you don't have this size pan, it would be best to make this tart in a pie plate. You won't be able to flip it out of the pan but you can serve it like a pie from the pie plate.
- As this tart bakes, the top may crack in a place or two (you'll note a crack in my tart in the pictures.). This is perfectly normal and actually looks kind of pretty when you sprinkle the tart with powdered sugar before serving.
- This recipe can be made by hand with a bowl and a whisk OR in a blender or food processor. Either way is super easy, with the blender method taking slightly less time.
- If you choose to make this crustless lemon tart by hand, you'll need a whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients. A whisk is a super versatile kitchen tool. I really like this versatile 3-in-1 whisk. It folds completely flat for easy storage.
- As this crustless lemon tart bakes, the sides may rise up a little higher than the center. This is normal.
- Make sure to grease the pan well with baking spray, including the sides. I like to spray my pan, then rub it all over with a paper towel to ensure every surface is well coated. Then I spray it lightly one more time.
- Baking spray is different than non-stick cooking spray. Baking spray, in addition to oil or shortening, also has flour particles which help create an extra gap between the metal and the baked good so it releases easily.
- It's important to use a thin, sharp knife to loosen the edges of the tart when it comes out of the oven. Then make sure to let the tart cool completely before trying to remove it from the pan.
- To release the tart from the pan, jiggle it a bit. If the bottom is not loose, place a folded kitchen towel on the counter and tap the edges of the pan all the way around on the towel. Place a flat plate on top of the pan and quickly flip it over so the plate is now on the bottom. Firmly jiggle the pan and plate up and down a few times until you feel the tart release. Then place another plate or your serving platter on top and flip one more time to the top is now up.
Thought for the day:
For you know that it was not with perishable things
such as silver or gold that you were redeemed
from the empty way of life
handed down to you from your ancestors,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
a lamb without blemish or defect.
1 Peter 1:18-19
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations, and ideas for variations.
- 9 tablespoons butter
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- finely grated lemon zest from 2 large or 3 smaller lemons
- ⅔ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for garnish
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Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on high power for 1 minute or until melted. Set aside to cool a bit.
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Set aside a 9-inch cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches tall.
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Place eggs in a medium-large bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the flour and whisk again until the mixture is smooth, about 30 seconds.
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Add the sugar, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice, cream and vanilla. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
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Lastly add the melted butter and whisk until completely incorporated.
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Spray the 9-inch pan generously with baking spray and rub with a paper towel to completely coat all of the inner surfaces. Spray lightly one more time.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the edges of the tart begin to turn a light golden brown. The tart will still be a little wobbly at this point.
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Allow the tart to cool completely. This will take 3-4 hours hours.
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To release the tart from the pan, jiggle it a bit. If the bottom is not loose, place a folded kitchen towel on the counter and tap the edges of the pan all the way around on the towel. Place a flat plate on top of the pan and quickly flip it over so the plate is now on the bottom. Firmly jiggle the pan and plate up and down a few times until you feel the tart release. Then place another plate or your serving platter on top and flip one more time to the top is now up.
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With a fine sieve, sprinkle the tart with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries if desired.
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*BLENDER TECHNIQUE - To make this recipe even easier you can combine the eggs and flour in a blender or food processor and blend until well-combined. Then add all the other ingredients and again, blend well. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to allow the bubbles to rise to the top then pour it into the prepared pan and bake as directed.
See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips to ensure success.
If you prefer to use Metric measurements there is a button in each of our recipes, right above the word “Instructions”. Just click that button to toggle to grams, milliliters, etc. If you ever come across one of our recipes that doesn't have the Metric conversion (some of the older recipes may not), feel free to leave a comment and I will add it.
Recipe adapted from: Recipe Winners
RoRo says
How would you substitute olive oil for the butter.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Roro, I wouldn't substitute olive oil for the butter in this recipe. I think you can get away with that in lots of other recipes but the butter is a big part of the flavor in this one.
Michele says
Would you make any change to the amount of sugar if using Meyer lemons?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michele, If you're using Meyer lemons, you could cut back on the sugar by 1/3 cup.
Lydia Shemain says
Chris, could this filling be used for a lemon square. Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lydia, I haven't personally tried that but it should work fine.
carolyn says
This is a beautiful sounding recipi. I changed the recipe to metric measurements and for 6 servings as there are just two of us. Do you have a pan size recommendation for the smaller recipe, your recipes do not adjust pan size for smaller recipies. Thankyou Carolyn
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Carolyn, if you reduce the recipe, I would probably use a 6-inch pan.
Carolyn says
Thankyou so much.the smaller pan recommendation it worked perfectly ,and it was delicious.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Carolyn!
Diana says
I love anything with lemon and will definitely be making this soon. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Enjoy, Diana!
Francine Coles says
Can this be refrigerated if there are leftovers or can you make it ahead of time and store in refrigerator (sprinkling powdered sugar right before serving)? I'm betting there won't be any, but curious about that.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Francine, it can be refrigerated, but I would bring it back to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
Donna Jo says
I made this tart yesterday. I love anything lemon! When I turned it out, it smooshed a bit. I think that was because I didn’t wait the three hours you recommend. I couldn’t wait to take a taste. Anyway, it was delicious, and next time, I will let it set up for the time you recommend. Also, go the whole 55 min.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for letting us know, Donna Jo!
Sheila Marie Mehlem says
Looks like a delicious recipe. If i dont have baking spray, can I use cooking spray and dust the pan with flour after using the spray.
thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sheila, that should work fine. Just be sure to spray the pan generously!
Sandy says
I made this tonight. It was easy and turned out so yummy. We could not wait the 3-4 hours to cool it, so we ate it slightly warm. So good with whipped cream and a raspberry on top. I also made it with GF flour. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Sandy!
Marilyn Rebby says
This sound like a wonderful dessert for Passover- do you think it would work with matzoh cake meal, or potato starch.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Marilyn, I haven't tried this with either matzo cake meal or potato starch. I did try with almond flour and didn't have great results.
Neil says
Hi, for low carb have you tried coconut or almond flour (or both)? Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Neil, I did try almond flour and did not have good success with that. It separated and did not set up well.
Janelle says
Your beautiful writing style and fantastic fail proof recipes make this blog one of my favourite sources for cooking inspiration. Do you think this tart would work in a glass tart dish (so I can serve in that and avoid trying to get out of a tin in one piece)?
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Janelle 🥰 I really appreciate your very kind words!
Regarding your question, it would definitely work well in a glass tart pan. Again, be sure to grease it well.
Veronica says
I love to read your recipes ...they're like food stories and I feel I'm right there with you! Thank you also for the words from scripture and the music links - both so uplifting. Thank you ...you enrich my life!
And now back to the recipe ...if I were to bake these in ramekins, how would the baking time differ?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Veronica, I haven't tried this in ramekins. I think it will work great but I can't give you an exact time without testing it myself. I would watch them carefully and when they're slightly golden and the edges and just a little wobbly, I would take them out and let them cool.
Lynn says
Do you think I could substitute Swerve sweetener and almond flour?
Chris Scheuer says
I did try almond flour and did not have good success with that. It separated and did not set up well. I would think Swerve would work although I haven't tested the recipe with any artificial sweeteners.
Cookies4kids says
I would love to try this for my coffee group but I need to cut squares for the containers I use to transport desserts. Do you think an 8 or 9” square pan would work for this recipe? Love all your wonderful recipes and the time you take to share them with all of us❤️
Janet says
Would this recipe freeze well?
Love so many of your ridiculously easy recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Janet, I would guess that this is one dessert that would not freeze well although I haven't tried it.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much. I think an 8-inch square pan would work well!