Lemon Tart with Gingersnap Crust Recipe

A Meyer Lemon Tart on a white serving dish.

Lemon Tart with Gingersnap Crust Recipe

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Southern

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Chilling time: 2

Total Time: 2 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 563kcal

Author: Sharon Rigsby

4.91 from 11 votes

With its crisp, crunchy gingersnap crust, one bite of this easy-to-make, luscious, tangy Lemon Tart will have your taste buds singing the Hallelujah chorus and wanting more.

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Equipment

9 or 10 inch tart pan or springform pan
food processor fitted with a steel blade
saucepan

Ingredients

Gingersnap Crust

▢ 12 ounces gingersnap cookies
▢ 6 tablespoons butter melted

Meyer Lemon Filling

▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
▢ ¼ cup cornstarch
▢ 3 eggs large or extra-large
▢ 3 egg yolks large or extra-large
▢ ⅔ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
▢ 1 ½ tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
▢ ½ cup butter cold, cut into small cubes

Instructions

Gingersnap Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour the gingersnap cookies into a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the cookies are fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until well mixed.
Pour the cookie mixture into a 9 or 10 inch tart pan and spread out evenly. Using your fingers, press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and up the sides of your pan to make the crust.
Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack and let cool for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Lemon Filling

Zest and juice the lemons.
Add sugar, cornstarch, eggs, egg yolks, and Meyer lemon juice to a heavy saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly for one to two minutes or until thickened.
Remove pan from heat and add lemon zest and butter. Whisk constantly until the butter is melted and everything is well combined.
Pour the lemon filling into a small bowl and place this bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice. Cool for about 15 minutes.
Pour the cooled mixture into the cooled gingersnap crust. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. Before putting the tart in the refrigerator, press the plastic wrap lightly onto the filling to keep a film from forming.
To serve, remove from the tart pan. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

When baking with a tart pan, be sure to place the pan on a baking sheet to make it easy to get it in and out of the oven without any mishaps.
When handling a tart pan, be sure to hold it by the sides and not solely on the bottom, or you could end up with the ring sliding off the base.
The easiest way to remove the tart ring before serving is to place a large round can or inverted bowl on the counter. Place the tart on the can or bowl and gently pull the ring down. I usually do not try to remove the tart from the pan bottom or base.
A manual lemon juicer will make juicing your lemons much easier, and you will end up with more juice than just squeezing them by hand. I have a small kitchen with limited storage, so I don't have too many gadgets. But, I have a Chef'n lemon juicer, which cost less than $15, and every time I use it, I am reminded how much I love it.
Because they are more tart, if you use regular lemons in this recipe, you may want to add one-quarter cup of additional sugar.
To make a twisted lemon garnish like what is shown in the photos: take a lemon slice, remove any seeds, cut a straight line from the middle of the lemon to the edge, twist one side of the lemon forward and the other side back.
To make candied lemon slices for garnish: thinly slice a lemon and remove the seeds. Add to a small saucepan along with ¼ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water. Simmer over low heat for six-seven minutes. Use a slotted spoon and remove the slices from the syrup when the peels are translucent and tender. Let cool and use as a garnish.

Nutrition

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