Mary Berry Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron) Recipe

This Mary Berry Lemon Tart is a sophisticated and tangy recipe, which calls for crisp sweet shortcrust pastry and a silky lemon cream filling. It is the ultimate dinner party dessert, ready in about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

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Mary Berry Lemon Tart Ingredients

For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

• 175g (6oz) plain flour
• 100g (3½oz) chilled butter, cubed
• 25g (1oz) icing sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tbsp cold water

For the Lemon Filling

• 5 large eggs
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 lemons, zest and juice
• 250ml (9fl oz) double cream (heavy cream)
• Icing sugar, for dusting

How To Make Mary Berry Lemon Tart

1. Make the pastry: Place the flour, cubed butter, and icing sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water, then pulse briefly until the dough comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Line the tin: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas 6). Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed fluted tart tin. Prick the base with a fork and chill for another 15 minutes.
3. Blind bake: Line the pastry case with baking paper and baking beans (or uncooked rice). Bake for 12–15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until the pastry is pale golden and dry (sandy) to the touch. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (140°C Fan/Gas 3).
4. Prepare the filling: Break the eggs into a large bowl and whisk them together with the caster sugar until combined. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, whisking gently.
5. Add the cream: Stir in the double cream until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to over-whisk, as you don’t want to create too many air bubbles on the surface.
6. Fill and bake: Pour the filling carefully into the baked pastry case. Bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes.
7. Check for doneness: The tart is ready when the filling is set around the edges but still has a slight wobble in the center (like a set jelly). It will firm up as it cools.
8. Cool and serve: Leave the tart to cool completely in the tin. Once cold, remove from the tin, dust generously with icing sugar, and slice.

Recipe Tips

• Pouring the filling: To avoid spilling the liquid filling as you move the tart to the oven, pour most of the filling into the case, place the tin on the oven shelf, and then pour the remaining filling in from a jug before closing the door.
• No food processor: If making pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and bind with the egg.
• Avoid curdling: Do not whisk the filling too vigorously. You just want to combine the ingredients. If you incorporate too much air, the tart will rise like a soufflé and then crack as it sinks.
• Zesting tip: Zest the lemons before juicing them. It is much harder to grate the zest once the lemons have been squeezed.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Lemon Tart

This sharp and sweet tart pairs beautifully with fresh fruit.

• Fresh Raspberries: The tartness matches the lemon perfectly.
• Crème Fraîche: Cuts through the sweetness of the custard.
• Pouring Cream: A classic British pairing.
• Mint Leaves: For a pop of green color.

How To Store Mary Berry Lemon Tart

• Refrigerate: Store the tart in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover lightly to prevent it from absorbing fridge odors.
• Freeze: It is best to freeze the tart before dusting with icing sugar. Wrap carefully and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Mary Berry Lemon Tart Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 420kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Fat: 26g
• Saturates: 14g
• Sugar: 28g
• Salt: 0.3g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 8 servings).

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Lemon Yoghurt Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Recipe
• Mary Berry Lemon And Poppy Seed Cake Recipe