A tart that uses a whole lemon in the filling. Both the filling and the crust come together easily in a food processor.
Snow piles are finally melting and I no longer need a heavy coat, scarf, and hat when I step outside. Spring is on its way, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Lemon desserts are perfect for this season, bridging the lingering winter citrus and the bright, fresh flavors we crave in spring. My sunny weekend felt even better after I made this whole lemon tart.
A few months ago my food processor died. It had been failing for some time, and when it stopped working I realized how often I relied on it. I replaced it with a Magimix 16-cup food processor, which has become my new kitchen favorite.
What better recipe to try with a new food processor than a whole lemon tart? And yes — whole lemon. No zesting, no squeezing: just slice the lemon, remove seeds, and process it with butter, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Pour the mixture into a sweet cookie-like crust that’s also made in the food processor.
Tarts can be fiddly with chilling and rolling, but this whole lemon tart simplifies the process and is a big step toward easier tart baking.
Whole Lemon Tart
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Ingredients
Sweet tart dough:
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour (188 grams)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (57 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cubed (147 grams)
- 1 large egg , lightly beaten
Lemon filling:
- 1 whole lemon , sliced and seeds removed (about 4.5 oz, 130 grams)
- 1 ½ cup sugar (300 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter , cubed (113 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
To make the tart dough:
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Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the cold, cubed butter and pulse in short bursts until the pieces resemble small peas. With the processor running briefly, add the beaten egg until the dough just comes together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours.
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Let the dough sit at room temperature a few minutes, then roll it into a rough 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to an 8- or 9-inch greased tart pan with removable sides and freeze for at least 30 minutes before baking.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the tart on a sheet pan, cover with greased foil (shiny side down), and fill with dried beans or pastry weights. Blind bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes.
To make the filling:
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In a clean food processor bowl, pulse the sliced lemon (seeds removed) with the sugar until fully pureed. Add the eggs, cornstarch, and salt, and pulse until the mixture is smooth. Pour the filling into the parbaked shell and bake until the center is set but still has a slight jiggle, about 25 minutes.
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Allow the tart to cool briefly before removing the pan sides. Serve warm or chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
Disclaimer: Food processor provided for review by MagiMix. All opinions are my own.