Tart au Citron (Classic French Lemon Tart)

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Classic French Lemon Tart is a sweet transition from Winter to Spring.

Prep Time1 15

Cook Time50

Resting Time10

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Lemon, Tart

Servings:

Author: Nicole

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take the tart dough out of the refrigerator and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle, flouring the dough and surface as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and gently unroll it over the tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit the dough into the edge of the pan. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and set in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Line the tart pan with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights to prevent the dough from puffing when baking. Bake the tart for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the aluminum foil filled with weights and bake for 10 minutes more until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. Maintain oven temperature while preparing the filling.

Place a medium mesh strainer over a large bowl; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, sugar, salt, eggs, and egg yolks until combined. Add the butter and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Continue whisking steadily (scraping down the sides of the pan with the tines of the whisk) until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency, about 6-8 minutes.
Immediately pour the warm lemon mixture into the strainer. Using the back of a spoon or ladle, press the mixture through the strainer to remove the zest and any bits of egg. Pour the mixture into the tart shell. Using an offset spatula, gently smooth the top of the filling. Bake the tart just until the filling has slightly set and is a shade darker in color, about 5-6 minutes. Allow the tart to cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve the tart at room temperature or refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve chilled. Tart can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Enjoy!