Why did my lemon curd split and become greasy?

A split curd is almost always caused by heat that was too high during cooking. High heat causes the cocoa butter in the butter to separate from the lemon juice emulsion and produces a greasy and grainy filling rather than a smooth custard. Start again with low heat and constant stirring from the very beginning of cooking. If splitting occurs during cooking, remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously. Sometimes the curd can be brought back together with vigorous whisking if caught early.

Can I use store-bought pastry for the tart shell?

Yes. A good quality store-bought sweet pastry case or tart shell works perfectly for this recipe and saves the time of making and blind-baking the pastry from scratch. Look for a sweet shortcrust rather than a savory one. This is particularly useful for a Mother's Day morning when other preparation demands are competing for your time.

How do I achieve the most beautiful and clean slices?

Allow the tart to chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour after completely cooling. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped completely dry between every single cut. Clean warm cuts through the cold set filling produce the most professional and clearly defined slices that reveal the beautiful yellow filling against the golden pastry edge in every piece.

Lemon Tart Easy Classic French Mother's Day Elegant Recipe

Name: Lemon Tart The Most Elegant and Classic French Tart Perfect for Mother's Day
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: PT-497456H32M59S
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 pre-baked Sweet Tart Crust 9-inch; 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Zest from 1 lemon; 1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice from 1 to 2 lemons; 3/4 cup White Granulated Sugar; 12 tbsp Unsalted Butter cut into 1cm cubes; 3 large Whole Eggs; 3 large Egg Yolks in addition to whole eggs; Creme Fraiche or Whipped Cream for serving optional; Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries for decoration optional; Fresh Lemon Slices for decoration optional; Powdered Sugar for dusting optional

Description

The most elegant and classic Lemon Tart made with a buttery sweet French pastry crust filled with a perfectly smooth and silky lemon curd from fresh lemon juice butter whole eggs and egg yolks cooked over low heat to the most beautiful custard consistency. A completely extraordinary and easy Mother’s Day French tart that is refreshing elegant and sliceable.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pre-baked Sweet Tart Crust 9-inch

1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Zest from 1 lemon

1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice from 1 to 2 lemons

3/4 cup White Granulated Sugar

12 tbsp Unsalted Butter cut into 1cm cubes

3 large Whole Eggs

3 large Egg Yolks in addition to whole eggs

Creme Fraiche or Whipped Cream for serving optional

Fresh Raspberries or Strawberries for decoration optional

Fresh Lemon Slices for decoration optional

Powdered Sugar for dusting optional

Instructions

1. Prepare and blind-bake sweet tart crust. Cool completely.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

3. Place lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, butter, 3 whole eggs, and 3 egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Whisk to combine before turning on heat.

4. Place over low to medium-low heat. Whisk constantly especially around base and edges.

5. Cook until mixture thickens enough to hold shape briefly when dolloped on surface about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not use high heat.

6. Remove from heat immediately when properly thickened.

7. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl pressing through with a spatula.

8. Pour strained lemon curd into completely cooled pre-baked tart shell. Smooth with offset spatula.

9. Bake exactly 5 minutes. Filling will still feel slightly soft when removed.

10. Cool completely at room temperature then refrigerate at least 1 hour before slicing.

11. Decorate with raspberries lemon slices edible flowers or powdered sugar just before serving.

12. Serve with creme fraiche or lightly sweetened whipped cream alongside.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert, Tart
Method: Baking, Stovetop
Cuisine: French, American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 183
Sugar: 13g
Sodium: 33mg
Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 13g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 112mg

Keywords: lemon tart, French lemon tart recipe, Mother's Day lemon tart, easy classic lemon tart curd filling