The perfect balance of sweet and tart lemon filling with an amazing shortbread crust. This dessert is the best and easiest gift to bring to any occasion.
This is by far the absolute best lemon tart I have ever had. I compare any dessert with lemon now to this tart and let me tell you they always fall short. I love this tart. I could eat it all day. I always want it at every holiday now and it's so easy to make and the perfect after dinner treat that it should seriously just be brought everywhere.
The first time I made this tart I was surprised how easy it was. I was also surprised at how well it took to being gluten free. It's not always easy to get texture and taste right with gluten free. Sometimes you get one right but not the other. Making shortbread can be one of those battles. Regular shortbread should be buttery and stick together while still being slightly crumbly. Gluten free has the tendency to want to completely stick together or crumble all over the place. Having both is very tricky. AND THIS ONE WORKED. I was so surprised. It was in all honesty one of those recipes that I didn't have to fight with, just did what it was told, and you absolutely could not tell it was gluten free. I'm still in awe.
The first time I made this tart. It was easy. Did I actually get to slice into it? Nope. I was so excited to try this tart. So excited to bring it along to Easter to share with my other Celiac family members. To watch their faces as they ate this delicious gluten free dessert and felt like they weren't missing out on anything. And it turned out to be a windy day. I was carrying my tart in a box with my baby on my other hip and as I walked out the door the wind bounced the door off the stair rail and back into my tart box and it just all toppled to the ground in one glorious splat. I have a picture too!
SO, I made it again the next day and knew it was a keeper. Next Easter, my fellow Celiacs and I will be all over this tart you can believe that for sure.
Ingredients:
For the Lemon filling
4 Large Eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp orange zest
1/3 cup butter, melted
Optional toppings: powdered sugar, fresh meringue, whipped cream, etc.
For the shortbread crust
2 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, or regular flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease either a tart pan or a regular pie dish (what I used).
3. In a blender, combine all lemon filling ingredients (except the optional toppings) and puree until smooth.
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar. Add in the cubed butter and mix until a sandy texture forms.
5. Press shortbread evenly into tart pan or pie dish to form a crust. Pour lemon filling into dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until filling is just set.
6. Cool the tart completely and then add optional toppings and serve! Enjoy!