Meyer Lemon Bar Tart

This meyer lemon bar tart is a delicious, tangy twist on the traditional lemon bar. A light and lemony citrus filling atop a delicious buttery shortbread poppy seed crust with a hint of almond flavor. It’s like a slice of sunshine on a plate!

When it comes to dessert I’m pretty partial to chocolate, especially in February which is basically an entire month devoted to all the chocolatey things. And deservedly so. But I’m also a huge fan of Meyer lemons in baked goods and they happen to be in season now. Truth be told, if I’m not indulging in a chocolate something or other, you’ll find me puckering up for a slice of lemon anything.

I’ve been making lemon bars for years, ever since my citrus loving better half planted a pretty little Meyer lemon tree in the backyard of our first home. Every January our tree would be bursting with bright and juicy lemons which meant you could find me in the kitchen baking lemon bars on repeat. When life gives you lemons, skip the lemonade and make lemon bars. I will say lemon poppy seed cake is also a solid choice. You can find that delicious recipe here. I was hosting a dinner party a couple of weeks ago and had a bunch of bright and shiny Meyers fresh off the tree. I decided to kick my traditional lemon bars up a notch or two and make them into a tart and now I may never make a regular lemon bar again. This tart is just as easy and it’s a beauty with that pretty fluted edge. Plus you get that bonus piece of shortbread crust which really sweetens the deal. This sunny lemon tart just the reminder we all need that spring is right around the corner.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR MEYER LEMON BAR TART

Lemons. Meyer lemons are best if you can get your hands on them. The lemons are juicy and the flavor is slightly sweeter than regular lemons. If using standard lemons, add a pinch more sugar to the lemon curd filling to off set the tartness of the lemons.

Sugar. To balance the tartness of the citrus we’ll add a generous dose of sugar to both the curd and the crust. Add more sugar for a sweeter tart and less for an extra tangy flavor. Top the tart with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar for a pretty as can be dessert.

Almond Flour. To give that buttery shortbread crust a hint of almond flavor and a deliciously crunchy texture, we add a bit of almond flour to the mix. I prefer finely ground almond flour like the one from Bobs Red Mill, but any almond flour will work.

Eggs. To make that luscious lemon curd filling we’ll need lots of eggs. Stock up the next time you are at the market.

Poppy seeds. I love the extra crunch that comes from adding poppy seeds to the buttery shortbread crust. If you aren’t a fan or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit them. Lemon and poppy seed flavors are a match made in heaven and I could snack on this crust all by itself.

Butter. We’ll need cold, cubed butter for the curd and melted, cooled butter for the crust. No need to wait for our butter to reach room temperature so you can whip up this recipe when the craving strikes.

HOW TO MAKE A MEYER LEMON BAR TART

Don’t despair if you don’t have fresh Meyer lemons on hand. Any lemon will do but an extra trip to the store, or your neighbor’s tree {wink, wink} is well worth the time if you have it. To make this tart, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients and a 9 inch tart pan. I’m a big fan of this one from Sur la Table. They have a range of sizes and shapes so feel free to shake things up and make this tart into a square or rectangle.  You can even bake this up in mini tart pans for individual servings. You do you. The crust comes together in no time by combining all the ingredients in a mixer. A few quick stirs and your crust is ready to be pressed into the tart pan. I love that this tart uses a press in crust rather than a roll out dough. It couldn’t be easier to throw together. Bake the crust until just barely golden brown and then allow it to cool for a bit before adding the lemon curd. Once you pop the tart back in the oven, I suggest keeping a close eye on the tart as baking times vary from oven to oven. The tart is done when the center is just barely set but still jiggles a bit like jello.

HOW TO SERVE LEMON TART

Now for the hard part…to get these perfectly cut edges you’re going to have to wait awhile for the tart to cool. I know, I know. It’s basically torture but you’ll get through it. And believe me when I say that it’s well worth the wait. Cool the tart on a wire rack until room temperature and then place it in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Bright and tart flavors are always best served cold if you ask me, so slice this beauty up just before serving. This Meyer Lemon Bar Tart is positively refreshing and it makes for a pretty presentation at the table.

Happy baking!

If you like this Meyer Lemon Bar Tart, you’ll also love….

Easy Lemon Bundt Cake

Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Cake

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts

Meyer Lemon Bar Tart

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• Author: Browned Butter Blondie
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 30 mins
• Yield: 8 slices 1x
• Category: Dessert

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Description

This meyer lemon bar tart is a delicious twist on the traditional lemon bar. A light and lemony citrus filling atop a delicious buttery shortbread poppy seed crust with a hint of almond flavor. Like a slice of sunshine on a plate, this tart is the perfect dinner party dessert!

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Ingredients

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For Crust

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/4 cup finely ground almond flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBSP cornstarch
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 TBSP poppy seeds

For Lemon Curd Filling

• 11 TBSP unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 1/2 TBSP fresh Meyer lemon zest (from about two large lemons)
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBSP granulated sugar (add less for a tangier tart)
• pinch of kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 5 large lemons)
• Confectioner´s sugar for dusting (optional)

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Instructions

For Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, almond flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until combined, about 10 seconds.
3. Add the melted butter and mix until incorporated. Add the poppy seeds and stir in. Mixture will be dry but should stick together when pressed with your hands.
4. Press shortbread mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Set tart pan on a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 13-15 minutes until crust is slightly golden brown. Do not over bake.
6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

For Lemon Curd Filling

1. Place the cubed butter and lemon zest in a large bowl.
2. Place a medium saucepan filled with two inches of water over medium low heat. In a medium bowl that serves as a double boiler, whisk together sugar, eggs, egg yolks and salt to combined. Slowly add the lemon juice and stir to incorporate.
3. Place the bowl over the pot with water and heat the curd over medium low heat, stirring often until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Be sure to stir the curd evenly as it cooks, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you go. The curd is done when the mixture is thick and the temperature measures 165 degrees using an instant read thermometer.
4. Remove the curd from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer into the bowl with the butter and lemon zest.
5. Whisk to combine well, stirring until all of the butter is melted and the curd is smooth.
6. Pour the curd into the prepare tart crust and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Be sure the oven temperature was lowered to 325 degrees. The center should not be liquid but set with a slight jiggle when you wobble the pan. Do not over bake.
7. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack until room temperature.
8. Place tart in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
9. Slice and serve cold. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

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Notes

Cooking time includes chilling time in refrigerator.
Store left over tart tightly covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If Meyer lemons are not available, use regular lemons.