Easy Creamy Lemon Tart
Nothing stops winter in its tracks like a bright, fresh and creamy Easy Lemon Tart Recipe! This ultra creamy version uses mascarpone to give a luxurious silky finish and it is absolutely irresistible. One of the best parts is how easy it is to make with a no-roll crust and no-fail filling!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy press in crust - you don't need to fuss over pastry for this recipe. The crust is a simple one bowl mixture that you press into the pan.
- Mascarpone filling - I use mascarpone to add the creaminess, and it is a deal breaker! Mascarpone is a cultured cream product, almost like cream cheese but even richer. It adds a luxurious mouthfeel and smooth texture that you just can't get from regular cream because the proteins and fat are set into a thick gel network.
- Rich creamy lemon filling - mascarpone gives so much body to the lemon filling and also helps to protect against over-baking or curdling.
HOW TO MAKE EASY LEMON TART:
Even though this easy lemon tart recipe looks so impressive, it is incredibly easy to make!
- STEP 1). Make the crust: combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and blend well until it forms crumbs, then press them into a tart pan. Bake until golden.
- STEP 2). Make the filling: combine the sugar, lemon zest and eggs until smooth. Then blend in mascarpone and lemon juice.
- STEP 3). Pour the filling over the hot crust and bake until just barely set.
- STEP 4). Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS EASY LEMON TART RECIPE:
- For the filling, rub the sugar with the lemon zest to extract all of the essential oils from the zest and get the most lemon flavor!
- If your mascarpone is really thick and stiff, beat it first to smooth it out before whisking it into the egg mixture. This will help to blend evenly so that you don't get any lumps.
- Place the tart pan on a baking tray before adding the filling because it will make transferring to the oven a lot easier with the liquidy filling inside... and it will also catch and spills if it happens (and believe me, it happens!).
- Bake until JUST set. It should look set around the edges but have a little wobble in the middle. The center will continue to cook gently as the filling cools. Eggs are very delicate and the filling will feel grainy if over-cooked.
If you like lemon, check out my other delicious lemon recipes!
Light & Luscious Lemon Cake Easy Almond Raspberry Lemon Bars (gluten free) Small Batch Creamy Lemon Curd Lemon Coconut Crumb Tarts
Easy Creamy Lemon Tart
Silky smooth and creamy lemon tart bursting with bright lemon flavour in an easy no-roll buttery crust!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (75g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75g) soft unsalted butter
Filling:
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup (120ml) mascarpone
- ⅓ cup (80ml) fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
Topping:
- 1 cup (130g) frozen blueberries
- ½ cup (60g) frozen raspberries
- 1 tablespoon (12g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- For the crust, combine flour, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl and mix together to blend well and break up any lumps of sugar. Add butter in small pieces and rub it in with your fingertips until evenly blended. Tip the crumbly mixture into an 8-inch round tart pan with a removal bottom and press it evenly into the base and up the sides. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F
- While the crust bakes, make the filling. Combine sugar with lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and rub it together with the back of a spoon until fragrant. Whisk in eggs until smooth. Beat mascarpone with a spoon to smooth it out and make it a bit more fluid, then whisk it into the egg mixture until evenly blended. Whisk in lemon juice.
- Once the crust is ready, place it onto a baking sheet to help transfer it back into the oven and immediately pour the filling into the hot crust. Place it back in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the filling is set around the edges with just a slight wobble in the center when you gently shake the pan. Do not over-bake or the filling can become rubbery instead of smooth and creamy.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours until thoroughly chilled. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving and slice using a hot dry knife.
- For the topping, toss frozen berries with sugar and then let stand for 10-15 minutes to thaw and release some juices. Spoon it over the chilled tart before serving.
In step 2 the crust is set aside to cook after baking. However, in step #5 the filling is poured into the hot crust. Please clarify if the crust should be cooled or hot before adding the filling. Thanks!
Hi Molly! Yes, pour the filling over the crust when it is still warm.
Second time making this easy and delicious tart BUT this really needs a parchment paper at the bottom of the pan or some other solution for easy cutting.
Both times the crust stuck to the bottom and was incredibly hard to cut no matter how much I buttered the pan. Still delicious but kind of sad when the tart falls apart as you cut!
Thanks for the feedback Juliette! Yes, you can add a round of parchment to prevent sticking if it is a common occurrence.
This was so easy to make and incredibly delicious! Will be making it again soon!
Thank you Dani! I'm so glad you found the recipe easy and delicious 🙂
Hello! How do you store this - in the fridge for how many days, and can it be frozen?
Hi Gen! You can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 days. The crust will become progressively softer the longer it is kept. I wouldn't recommend freezing as the crust may become really soggy when thawed.
This is my favorite, most made, and most requested recipe on Scientifically Sweet. I live in France, where almost every corner bakery sells lemon tarts. But this recipe beats all of them in my book! The brown sugar crust lends a slightly caramelized taste that beautifully complements the filling. The filling is creamy, zesty (and SO easy to make).
My brother-in-law, who used to bake and serve lemon tart when he owned a restaurant, now wants to make this recipe instead!
Thanks so much, Christina, for another show stopper!
You are welcome Jessica! Thank you so much for the kind feedback!
I only have a 9 inch pan
Would that work?
Hi Natasha! I would recommend increasing the recipe by 1/3rd so you have enough crust and filling for the bigger pan.
I only have an eleven inch tart pan. How can I modify the quantity of ingredients?
Hi Ellen, you might need double the recipe for this.
I have made this several times and it always turns out beautifully! Such a great recipe! If I were to make this in a 9 inch pan would you increase the ingredient amounts? If so, by how much? Thanks!
Hi Corinna, thank you! You would probably need 1.5 times the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your recipes and all your tips.
So rich and tasty! This was super easy to make and so flavourful flavourful! Will make again for sure
Thanks for your comment Krystin! I'm happy you enjoy this recipe.
Hi there. Could you please let me know if I can use cream cheese instead of mascaporne ? That's all I have on hand right now. Thank you
Hi Rozieka, yes cream cheese should work.
This tart was easy to make and so delicious! Highly recommend making it.
Thanks Eve! I love how simple it is too.
This recipe is flawless! So easy to make too.
Thank you Ellicia!
Excellent! It came out beautifully
Great! Thanks Opal.
The filling is so silky! I really liked the texture and it was very easy to make.
The mascarpone really makes it so smooth.
I made this into mini tarts and it was a big hit!
What a great idea!
This was so good! I love that the filling is creamy because it balances the tart lemon. I can't wait to make it again!
Oh my! I love this tart! The filling was so smooth and had such a bright lemony flavour.
This was so easy to make and I love the addition of mascarpone. The texture was super creamy!