There’s something quietly impressive about a classic Tart au Citron – crisp pastry, silky filling, and that perfect balance of sharp and sweet. This version was baked at a Village Bakers Baking Masterclass, where we focused on technique, confidence, and simple elegance.
It’s a timeless bake that always feels special, whether served as a dinner-party dessert or sliced and shared with friends. A true reminder that sometimes the simplest recipes deliver the biggest impact.
INGREDIENTS
Rich Shortcrust Pastry:
170g Plain flour
Pinch of salt
100g butter
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 Egg Yolk
2 tbsp Cold water
Filling:
4 Medium eggs
1 Egg Yolk
200g Caster sugar
150ml Double cream
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
METHOD
- Add the flour and salt into a large bowl.
- Cut the fat into 1cm pieces and toss into the flour. Cut the fat into the flour until it is the size of small peas, using 2 table knives, scissor fashion.
- Rub the fat into the flour by dipping your fingertips into the flour and gently rubbing the small pieces of fat in the flour between the tips of your thumbs and fingers to flatten them and incorporate them with the flour.
- Pull the flour up above the bowl as you do this to aerate it and keep the mixture cool as it falls back into the bowl. Continue this until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Shake the bowl occasionally to bring the pieces of fat to the surface of the flour. NOTE: If at any point during the rubbing-in process the mixture starts to feel greasy or becomes yellow in colour, the fat has become too warm, and the pastry will greasy if it is not chilled. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill until the butter is cool and firm.
- When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add in the sugar and stir.
- Mix the egg yolk and the water together. Add half the egg yolk mixture to the flour and stir with a table knife, and the dough will start to form, scrape down the sides and add the remaining egg slowly a bit at a time, continue to stir with a knife until the dough is formed.
- Bring the paste together, flatten to a disc 1cm thick, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 10mins.
- Tart:
- Heat the oven to 190c / 375f / gas mark 5. Line a 20cm tart tin with the rolled-out pastry, and chill until firm.
- Place baking parchment and baking beans on the pastry and blind bake for 15mins, then remove the beans and parchment and bake for a further 10-15mins until the pastry is golden brown.
- Turn the temperature of the oven down to 150c / 300f / gas mark 2.
- Mix the eggs and egg yolk together with sugar until smooth.
- Add the cream and mix.
- Add the lemon juice and zest, the mixture will thicken.
- Pour the lemon mixture into the pastry case and bake in the oven for 50mins until almost set. When the tart is cooked, leave to cool and remove from the tart tin.
- Dust with icing sugar to serve.
