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Homemade Lemon Cream Tart with golden crust, whipped cream, and lemon slice on top, on a dark slate board with bright natural light, homemade and fresh.

Lemon Cream Tart

5 from 1 vote
This Lemon Cream Tart is foolproof and perfect for warm weather — buttery press-in crust, bright creamy lemon filling that doesn’t melt, and an elegant finish that looks bakery-level but takes less than an hour to make.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 9 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Tart Crust
  • 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour - Spoon and level for accuracy
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter - Cold, cut into small cubes
  • ⅓ cup Powdered sugar - Sifted
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt - Enhances flavor
  • 1 large Egg yolk - Helps bind dough
  • 1 tablespoon Cold water - Add only as needed
Lemon Cream Filling
  • 3–4 whole Fresh lemons - Zested and juiced (~¾ cup juice)
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar - Adjust to taste
  • 2 large Eggs - Whole
  • 2 large Egg yolks - Adds richness
  • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch - Helps thicken filling
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt - Balances flavor
  • 6 tablespoon Unsalted butter - Add one piece at a time
  • ¼ cup Heavy cream - Adds smoothness
Topping
  • 1 cup Whipped cream - Sweetened to taste
  • Fresh lemon slices - Optional for garnish
  • Powdered sugar - For dusting

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch tart pan (Makes unmolding easy and clean)
  • 1 Medium saucepan (Prevents scorching while cooking filling)
  • 1 Whisk (Needed for smooth custard texture)
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer (Removes cooked egg bits)
  • 1 Microplane or zester (For fresh lemon zest)
  • 1 Mixing bowl (For combining crust ingredients)

Method
 

  1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until sandy. Add yolk and water just until dough forms. Press into tart pan, prick bottom, freeze 15 min, then bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until golden.
  2. Whisk sugar, eggs, yolks, and cornstarch in saucepan. Add lemon juice, zest, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick like pudding, about 8–10 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, whisk in butter piece by piece, then add heavy cream. Strain through mesh sieve, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and cool 30 minutes.
  4. Pour cooled lemon filling into baked crust and smooth top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight until firm.
  5. Before serving, top with whipped cream, lemon slices, and dust with powdered sugar. Keep tart cold until ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 390kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 100mgPotassium: 75mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 850IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes.

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