French Lemon Tart
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 7 tablespoons butter (I use salted)
- 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil ie, sunflower, avocado, vegetable, canola or grapeseed oils will all work
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut optional, see "Notes" below
For the lemon filling:
- 5 egg yolks
- 5 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- finely grated zest from 2 medium-size lemons
- ¾ cup lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 12 tablespoons butter
Instructions
For the crust:
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Preheat over to 400°. Generously spray a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom with baking spray. Rub with a paper towel to make sure all the surfaces are well coated.
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Combine the butter, oil, water and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate or some damp paper toweling. Microwave on high power for 3 minutes. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave (it will be hot) and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
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Add the sugar to the warm butter mixture and stir to combine. Then add the flour and coconut. Mix until well combined (I use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon) and the dough comes together and forms a ball.
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Transfer the dough to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom (you could also use a 9-inch pie pan). Break up half of the dough into small walnut size pieces and line them up around the edges of the pan. Press the dough around the edges of the pan, forming a crust about ¼-.inch thick and even with the top of the pan. Then press the remaining dough firmly into the bottom of the pan.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until a light, golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool partially while you make the lemon filling.
For the lemon filling:
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In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt (⅛ teaspoon if using unsalted butter) until smooth. Add butter cubes.
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Microwave on high power for 45 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir vigorously with a whisk. Continue to cook at 45-second intervals, stirring after each interval. It will take 4-7 minutes, depending on the power of your microwave. Lemon curd is done cooking when it coats the back of a metal spoon. You can also check it with an instant thermometer. It’s done when it reaches 175˚F.
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Remove from the microwave and whisk well. Pour the lemon mixture into a fine-mesh sieve with a bowl set underneath. Stir and allow the mixture to be strained into the bowl. Keep stirring until all of the lemon mixture has been strained. Discard any solids in the sieve. (I like to do this in my sink as it gives me a good angle to stir from.) This step is optional but makes for a silky smooth filling. If you don’t have a fine-mesh sieve, just proceed with the next step.
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Pour the lemon filling into the prepared crust, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the tart to cool completely. It will be wobbly when it’s warm but will set nicely for slicing once it’s cooled. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, fresh fruit and/or a drizzle of this Ridiculously Easy Raspberry Coulis. ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
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.
The coconut is really delicious in this crust but optional. If you choose to omit the coconut, cut the butter back by one tablespoon (6 tablespoons instead of 7).