Lemon Tart for any Season (and Reason)
Dessert · Pies & Tarts · Provencal Recipes · Taste · Viktorija TodorovskaLemon tart is Tarte au citron in French. Regardless, of language the blend of tangy and sweet is enough to turn even a non-dessert eater into a fan. This recipe comes from Provence Food and Wine: The Art of Living
a cookbook and reflection on the Mediterranean lifestyle with photos by François Millo.
Lemon Tart or Tarte au citron
This delicious and refreshing dessert is the essence of the French Riviera where the intense sun ripens lemons and infuses them with unrivalled sweetness. Each bite will transport you to the Riviera…. Immerse yourself sunshine.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour unbleached, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 7 ounces unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces crème fraîche
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 3/4 cups Sugar
- juice of 4 Lemons
- 4 tablespoons butter softened and cubed
Instructions
To make the Crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Mix until the mixture is crumbly.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest, and lightly beat with a fork.
- Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat with a mixer on low speed for about 2 minutes, or until a dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Dust your hands with flour and knead the dough for 1 minute.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 4 days). If you chill the dough for longer than 1 hour, let it warm slightly before rolling it out.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch and transfer to a 9-inch tart dish with removable bottom. Trim off any excess dough.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool.
To make the Filling:
- Whip the crème fraîche so it is light and airy. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice and stir well.
- Cook on low heat, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes.
- Pour into a bowl, add the butter, and stir well to incorporate. Let cool.
- Fold in the whipped crème fraîche.
- Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until ready to serve.
- Decorate with lemon slices or meringue that has been browned under a broiler.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Saint-Tropez - Jewel of the French Riviera: Full day tour with a winery visit
Spend your day as a movie star in Saint-Tropez! The departure is set early in the morning to avoid the traffic towards the legendary town, with which a thousand stories are associated. The experience will start with a tour of this enchanting small fishing town of Saint-Tropez, which inspired numerous painters and whose beauty of the port always attracted the cinematographic world.
Book this ExperienceLegal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Related Provence Articles
Make Lavender and Honey Ice Cream this Summer
July 14, 2025
Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day? This recipe combines culinary lavender and honey into a delicious ice cream that will “transport” you to Provence with every bite. Thank you to ElsaLenthal.com for allowing us to republish this recipe. Artisan Creations with Lavender Elsa Lenthal started Fuseaux de Lavande de Provence in …
Roast Chicken Provencal Style with Local Lemons from Menton
August 6, 2018
There is nothing better than the tantalising aroma of roast chicken, well except for chocolate cake. As for savoury dishes, roast chicken is a winner for a family, it requires very little supervision, there are often leftovers for sandwiches and bones for soup or stock. The credit for this recipe goes to Denise, my belle mere, she uses local, seasonal and when practical organic products for her creations. Enjoy Denise’s Poulet Provençal au citron de Menton, it's a simple roast chicken dish with local lemons.…
Galette Provençale a Holiday Dessert Recipe
December 10, 2021
Discover the Galette Provençale If you don’t have a galette variation in your country, you can very well make it yourself. While you cook, the children in the family can have fun making wreaths. It really is a very festive time. Moreover, this cake really encourages conviviality, between friends and/or colleagues. I give you in …
French Chocolate Mousse with Cocoa Nib Brittle
May 20, 2019
This recipe is definitely for chocolate lovers! An adaptation of Jean-Andre Charial’s chocolate mousse (mousseux au chocolate, craquant au grue de cacao, crème glacée au caramel) for home cooks. This is a slightly simplified version of Charial’s chocolate mousse that does not lose any of its deliciousness in the translation. Almost no other dessert could be …
No Comment