Lemon Raspberry Tart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A tangy, vibrant tart with a golden crust filled with a lemon and raspberry jam custard. Tart and sweet notes mingle with a buttery base; whipped cream and fresh raspberries finish the dish. Uses cornmeal in crust for texture, swaps lemon juice for yuzu for an exotic twist, and replaces corn starch with arrowroot to lighten the filling. Chilling steps crucial for texture; baking cues highlight color and slight jiggle. Fine balance of sweetness and acidity in each bite.
Prep:
40 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#French-inspired
#tart
#raspberry
#yuzu
#cornmeal
#arrowroot
#dessert
Started off bungling crust texture — too warm butter, tough edges. Learned tossing in cornmeal adds subtle grit, contrast to buttery flake. Swapping lemon for yuzu juice brightens filling with floral twist, less overpowering. Arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch yields glossy, light custard that sets smooth. Patience with chilling crust prevents shrink/collapse; blind baking twice mandatory. Filling bubbles gently, thickens to coat spoon—a key visual cue not to overheat or scramble eggs. Cooling completely lets flavors marry, filling firm up. Whipped cream, a sweet cloud, cuts tartness; fresh raspberries seal the deal. So many tweaks over seasons, tactile cues, and plenty of tasting for balance. Expected work, but reward in every crisp, tangy bite. Familiar? Yes. Slightly unexpected? Always. Handling missteps is cooking’s thrill.
Ingredients
Crust
- 260 ml (1 1/8 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) fine cornmeal (substitutes some flour for crunch)
- 20 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) sugar (increased slightly for balance)
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- 20 ml (1 1/3 tbsp) yuzu juice (replaces lemon juice for freshness)
- 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- water as needed
Filling
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) sugar (reduced slightly)
- 10 ml (2 tsp) arrowroot powder (instead of cornstarch for clarity)
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) raspberry jam
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, diced
Whipped cream
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) 35% cream
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) sugar
- Fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)
About the ingredients
Cold butter critical. Warmer? Chill bits again before pulsing or rolling. Cornmeal integral but substitutable with extra flour or almond flour for nut twist. Yuzu juice tricky — lemon juice stands in fine; adjust sugar maybe. Arrowroot powder preferred for custard clarity; cornstarch causes cloudy texture but won’t ruin structurally. Don’t rush adding water to dough; too moist ruins flake, too dry won’t come together. Eggs large, at room temp aid emulsification in dough and filling. Unsalted butter to control seasoning; salted would disrupt sweet balance. Raspberry jam quality obvious; could swap for strawberry for milder tartness. Whipping cream stiff peaks achieved best cold. Fresh raspberries simple garnish, adds brightness and visual cheer.
Method
Crust
- Pulse flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt in food processor until combined. Blending cornmeal adds subtle nutty crunch, texture contrast. Add cold butter cubes; pulse in bursts. Stop when butter resembles pea-sized lumps; don’t overmix — flaky crust depends on butter bits staying cold and separate.
- Add egg, yuzu juice, vanilla extract. Pulse just until dough barely clumps. Too wet? Dribble in cold water, teaspoon at a time; very sparingly. Dough should hold but not sticky. Use hands to shape into rough rectangle quickly; minimal handling avoids gluten development and tough crust.
- On floured surface, roll dough into 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick rectangle. If struggling to roll evenly, chill wrapped dough 10 minutes, then resume. Press dough into 33 x 10 cm (13.5 x 4 inch) removable bottom tart pan. Patch any tears with dough scraps. Dock bottom with fork to prevent air bubbles.
- Chill crust in fridge 25 minutes. Resting solidifies fats and relaxes gluten; prevents shrinkage in oven.
- Position oven rack low, preheat to 205°C (400°F).
- Line crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake 18 minutes. Remove weights, bake another 5 minutes until crust dry, edges turning golden but not dark brown. Let cool slightly on rack. Crust should be crisp but tender.
- Reduce oven to 190°C (375°F).
Filling
- In saucepan, whisk sugar and arrowroot powder until smooth. Incorporate raspberry jam, lemon juice, eggs, diced butter all at once. Heat med-high, whisk continuously, don’t rush or eggs scramble. Mixture will thicken and bubble gently — watch for first rolling boil, then simmer 1 to 2 minutes until custard thickens, glossy, coats spoon. Remove from heat promptly.
- Pass custard through fine sieve into bowl. Ensures silky texture; no lumps or cooked egg chunks.
- Pour filling into baked crust. Level top with spatula if needed.
- Bake tart 10 minutes, filling should look just set with slight wobble center. Avoid overbaking or cracking. Cool on wire rack until warm (20-30 minutes), then refrigerate uncovered 3 hours or until fully chilled and firm. Long cooling critical for clean slices and proper filling set.
Whipped cream
- Chill mixing bowl and beaters. Pour cream, sprinkle sugar. Beat on medium-high until firm peaks form. Don’t overbeat or cream breaks.
- Pipe or dollop whipped cream over chilled tart. Garnish with fresh raspberries for tart-sweet bursts and visual pop.
- Serve directly from fridge, cold but not icy. Cutting best with sharp serrated knife, warmed briefly under hot water and dried to prevent crust crumbling.
Tips & Notes
- Yuzu juice offers bright citrus aroma with floral notes, less sharp than lemon. If unavailable, use fresh lemon juice but adjust sugar slightly.
- Cornmeal adds welcome texture but can be omitted; use extra flour.
- Arrowroot powder shines in custards not exposed to prolonged heat; gives glossy finish and light texture. Cornstarch heavier and duller.
- Blind baking crust twice ensures no sogginess under custard heaviness.
- If custard grainy, caused by overheating eggs — cook gently, whisk constantly.
- Have extra tart? Store covered in fridge, best eaten within 2 days for freshest texture.
- Leftover crust scraps? Bake as mini cookies with sugar sprinkle.
- Raspberry jam can be any quality, but home preserves or artisanal are best for pure fruit flavor.
Cooking tips
Pulse dry ingredients with cold butter: short bursts keep bits pea-sized — prime for flakiness. Squeeze dough gently. Too much pressure develops gluten, crude crust. Docking crust after pressing prevents dough puffing in oven. Chilling after shaping crucial; skips shrinkage. Blind bake with weights till sides lightly golden, then without weights to crisp base. Prepare filling by whisking sugar and arrowroot to avoid lumps. Whole mixture into pan at once, whisk on heat, stir without pause. Rolling boil signals thickness — too long? Curds form, ruin smooth custard. Pass through sieve if unsure smoothness; worth the effort. Bake filled tart until just set; center still slightly wobbly signals doneness. Cool room temp before refrigeration to avoid condensation sogginess. Whip cold cream and sugar till stiff peaks. Pipe decoratively; pipes lift whole presentation. Serrated knife warmed and wiped produces clean slices without dragging crust apart. Patience and tactile checks worth every second.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cold butter chunks vital; pulse short bursts, keep pea-sized lumps. Warm butter? Chill dough bits again before rolling. Flaky crust hinges on fat bits staying separate, not melting into flour. Cornmeal in dough adds gritty crunch but can swap extra flour if none. Cornmeal texture contrast helps avoid dense base. Don’t skimp chilling after shaping; fat solidifies, gluten relaxes. Avoid tough edges, cold everything. Spot shut oven cracks by docking. Twice blind bake keeps crust dry under moist filling.
- 💡 Chill dough if rolling sticky or uneven. Use floured surface sparingly. Press gently into pan, patch tears carefully; too much work stresses gluten, tough crust. Dock crust bottom fork pricks air bubbles. Oven temperature matters; preheat thoroughly before baking crust low rack for even heat. Weights? Dried beans or pie weights. Watch edges color; golden, not dark. Cooling crust before filling stops steaming crust sogginess.
- 💡 Whisk sugar and arrowroot powder smooth before adding jam, lemon, eggs, butter. All at once. Whisk constantly on med-high heat. Don’t rush; eggs scramble fast if distracted. First rolling boil is key: bubbling gently, thick gloss coats spoon well. Overheat, curds form, grainy texture appears. Sieve custard for smoothness if unsure. Custard sets on slight wobble—expect jiggle but not runny. Too firm means overbaked. Cooling step crucial before fridge chills; stops condensation mess under crust.
- 💡 Whipped cream stiff peaks only cold bowl and beaters. Sugar slowly, beat medium-high speed, watch peaks form. Overbeat breaks cream. Dollop or pipe cream after tart chilled fully. Fresh raspberries add brightness, burst acidity. Cutting tart: warm serrated knife quickly under hot water, wipe dry; clean slices without crumbling. Leftover crust scraps bake mini cookies with sugar sprinkle; no waste, bonus snack. Store tart chilled, covered; eat within 2 days for best texture and flavor.
- 💡 Yuzu juice swap trouble? Use fresh lemon but gently adjust sugar down. Arrowroot preferred over cornstarch for clear custard; cornstarch dulls color, heavier texture. If cornmeal unavailable, extra flour or almond flour for nut twist. Water into dough very sparingly; too wet dough ruins flake, too dry won’t bind. Eggs large and room temp help dough bonding and filling emulsification. Salted butter might disturb sweet balance; unsalted best. Patience with chilling and baking a must; rushing collapses custard or toughens crust.
Common questions
Can I substitute lemon for yuzu juice?
Yes but flavor sharper, less floral. Adjust sugar slightly down. Yuzu tricky to find; lemon standard backup. Use fresh juice only, bottled lacks punch. Results shift, but tart still bright citrus-aroma.
Why is my crust tough not flaky?
Cold butter lumps not big enough; overmixing develops gluten. Chill dough longer, less handling. Dough too wet or warm flips texture; chill again. Dock crust to stop puffing. Cornmeal helps texture contrast—omit might tighten crumb.
How to fix grainy custard after baking?
Usually overheated eggs scramble fast. Whisk constantly on heat, remove at first soft boil. Strain through sieve if needed. Next time heat gentler, no breaks in whisking. Arrowroot powder key to clear texture; cornstarch heavier, may fog custard.
Best way to store leftover tart?
Cover loosely in fridge up to 2 days. Avoid airtight wrap directly on cream topping; slight breath needed. Can freeze crust separately, but filling texture suffers. Reheat tart not recommended. Fresh raspberries fridge keep bright; dry before storing.
