Classic French Tarte Au Citron - Fresh Lemon Tart

French Tart's Note:

This is the most requested dessert in our Chambres d'Hotes; I like to make it quite tart and lemony, with creme fraiche, instead of thick double cream - plus I like it to be baked until just set and with a wobble! This is great served with a drizzle of cassis for an elegant finishing touch, plus a sprig of mint. If you are not a great lover of lemons, please reduce the quantity of lemons in the recipe.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 1.0 Tart

• 300 g ready made shortcrust pastry
• 200 ml fresh lemon juice
• 2 lemons, zest of , fresh finely grated
• 8 tablespoons creme fraiche
• 160 g caster sugar
• 7 eggs , beaten
• icing sugar , to sprinkle

Directions:

1. Roll out the pastry and line a 24cm to 26cm tart or quiche dish. Bake blind in a pre-heated oven 180°C/350F/gas 4, for about 7-10 mins, or until lightly golden brown and slightly crisp.
2. Whisk the lemon juice, crème fraiche, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Add the grated lemon rind & mix well.
3. Carefully pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake for 40 minutes or so, until the custard has set but is still slightly wobbly. Sprinkle liberally with icing sugar.
4. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature, with a drizzle of cassis and a sprig of mint. You can also serve this with a bowl of creme fraiche or cream.

Reviews

[Kasha]

Tastes great, I should know, I made it twice. I bought a French fluted tart pan, couldn't get the 20 cm specified, so went for 24cm. There was much too much filling and I wound up with a very nice tart, but not enough for the company I was having over that evening for dinner and several small custard cups I baked along with the tart to use all of the extra filling, another way to use this if you don't want to make a tart, they were very pretty too, but not enugh either for the company. I made another pie crust and used it to line a good old American glass pie pan which is much bigger than a tart pan and another batch of filling and the filling filled the American pie pan. It made a very nice lemon custard pie which everyone liked. We still have four custard cups and a small tart pan of tart to go now. The quantity of lemon was fine for us.

[richowl1867]

I made this today, it was fantastic. I thought the custard was too runny when I poured it into the pastry case and I gave it 45 minutes in the oven to be on the safe side. It came out perfect. The flavour had a good mixture of sweet and tart. It would be a definite dinner party winner. I have only tried it warm. I can't wait to get stuck into a cold slice from the fridge, maybe tomorrow though.

[Angieflibble]

I've made this a number of times. For my pie dish the filling is about double the amount required but it freezes really well so you can save the other half for a later date.