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Meyer Lemon Curd Tart (Gluten-Free)

Name: Meyer Lemon Curd Tart
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 520 min
Ingredients: 2 cups almond flour (firmly packed); 6 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 3 tbsp honey; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup Meyer lemon juice (freshly squeezed (4-6 lemons)); 1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest (from one lemon); 6 eggs (large); 1 cup sugar (granulated); 1 cup butter (cold, and cut into 1" cubes); 1/4 tsp salt

April 10, 2021 by Colleen 28 Comments

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This Meyer Lemon Curd Tart is so incredibly delicious, that it gets raves from everyone, whether they eat gluten or not. It's a perfect spring dessert!

A Lemon Curd Tart on a table beside two lemons. — Myer Lemon Curd Tart

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Meyer Lemons vs Regular Lemons
Why This Recipe Works
Here's What You'll Need:
How to Make It: Step By Step
Expert Tips for a Perfect Lemon Tart
Recipe FAQs
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Meyer Lemons vs Regular Lemons

You can follow this recipe exactly, using regular lemons if you can't find Meyer lemons, which usually make their appearance in early spring. But if you can, try to use Meyer lemons for this lemon tart.

There are differences between the two lemon varieties. First, regular lemons are bright yellow, football-shaped, with thick, textured skin. Meyer lemons are smaller, rounder, deeper yellow to orange, and have thinner and smoother skin. Second, Regular lemons are more acidic than Meyer lemons, which means Meyer lemons are sweeter. And finally, Meyer lemons have a lovely floral and orange scent and flavour.

Why This Recipe Works

This recipe uses a tender and delicious press-in crust made with almond flour and olive oil. This may sound like an odd combo, but it works beautifully with the lemon filling, and it means that this is a gluten-free lemon tart.

The Meyer lemon curd filling for this tart is silky smooth and creamy and has very little acid, just a lot of sunny, lemony flavour.

Here's What You'll Need:

Tart Shell:

Almond Flour Almond Flour is simply ground almonds. It's slightly different from almond meal, because it's made from peeled almonds and is a finer grind, while almond meal is ground almonds with their skins and is not as finely ground.
Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil gives this tart shell its signature Mediterranean essence.
Honey Liquid honey adds just the right touch of sweetness to this press-in pie crust.

Filling:

Myer Lemons You will need about 6 Myer Lemons to get one cup of juice as well as the zest from one of them.
Eggs Make sure you have a lot of eggs, because you're going to need six!
Butter Use real butter, and make sure that it's cold. Melting the cold butter into the hot curd is what gives it that classic, creamy richness.

How to Make It: Step By Step

For the Tart Shell

Combine all of the crust ingredients in a bowl.
Mix well to form a crumbly dough.
Press the dough evenly on to the sides and bottom of a 9 inch tart pan.
Bake the crust until brown.

For the Filling

steps for making the lemon curd filling.

Combine all Filling Ingredients except the butter in a medium saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the mixture thickens.
Pour the hot lemon curd into a food processor or blender and add the butter one cube at a time, processing between additions.
Pour the lemon curd into the cooled tart shell, smoothing with a spatula.

A lemon tart and two lemons on a wooden table.

Expert Tips for a Perfect Lemon Tart

Keep your eye on the tart shell while it's baking. If it bubbles, very gently poke the bubble with a fork to release the steam.

Be careful not to boil the curd, simply heat it until it thickens, which should happen well before the boiling point.

If you use a blender to incorporate the butter into the filling, make sure that it has a vented lid in order to prevent steam build up and the filling erupting.

Don't skip the chilling time. It's important to allow the filling to set so that it slices perfectly. Refrigerate the tart overnight for best results.

Recipe FAQs

Why did my lemon curd separate?

Your curd can separate if you cook it at too high a temperature or let it boil. The cooking process requires patience, cooking slowly on medium heat while stirring.

Can I fix separated curd?

If you do get some lumps, you can try putting the lemon mixture in the blender and it may come together.

How do I know when the curd is thickened enough?

At 180°, the curd will be cooked and will continue to thicken when you add the butter and while it cools. Another way to tell is to coat the back of a spoon, then run your finger through it. It should leave a clear trail.

Can I freeze this tart?

You can freeze the baked tart shell and the cooked filling separately. Make sure both are cooled completely first) After thawing you can assemble the tart.

How long does this lemon tart keep in the fridge?

Because the filling contains eggs, It's best to use this tart within 3-4 days.

A lemon tart on a cake stand with a slice removed.

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