This lemon tart is super easy to whip up and you only need 5 ingredients to make the filling and crust (AND no gelatin, eggs, or cornstarch needed!) The lemon flavored filling is silky smooth and creamy, with a crisp and crunchy graham cracker crust, and all no bake.
what makes this easy lemon tart so good?
- 5 ingredients: All the ingredients you need to make this beautiful tart are graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, heavy cream, and lemons!
- no bake: I love a good no bake dessert any time of year, but this tart is ESPECIALLY welcome during the warmer months. It's light, refreshing, and flavorful.
- quick and easy: All the steps involved are super simple and straightforward, and when you compare this tart to other standard tarts, it's ready so much faster! And most of the time involved in this recipe is chill time, so a very minimal amount of effort is required.
- texture: The textures of the crispy graham cracker crust and the unbelievably silky smooth filling come together beautifully in this tart.
- flavor: There's no shortage of lemon flavor in this tart. With zest and juice, it brings the perfect amount of citrusy flavor and tartness and is especially delicious with the warm and toasty flavor from the graham crackers.
how does the filling set?
The filling for this tart is inspired by lemon possets, so it actually doesn't require eggs, cornstarch, gelatin, or any sort of special thickener for it to set! Just like with lemon possets, this tart is naturally thickened thanks to the heavy cream and lemon juice.
Essentially, the acidity from the lemon juice causes the cream to curdle and thicken. The perfect ratio of lemon juice to cream is what allows this filling to set (without being overly watery) and makes this filling creamy and smooth (as opposed to grainy and chunky!)
how to make lemon tart
1. Mix together crust ingredients in a bowl. Pack the crust into a tart pan - I find it's easiest to pack the crust into the sides with your fingers and then use the bottom of a cup to pack the remining crust into the bottom of the pan. Set aside in the fridge while you prep the filling.
2. Simmer heavy cream, sugar, and lemon zest. After the mixture has come to a boil and had a chance to simmer, take it off the heat and whisk in lemon juice.
3. Cool the filling. Strain the filling into a medium sized bowl and set aside to cool slightly. You can skip the strain if you like having bites of lemon zest.
4. Fill & chill. Pour the slightly cooled filling into your tart crust then chill in the fridge until set.
tips
- pack the crust in firmly: Since this is no bake, it's important to pack the crust into the tart pan as firmly as you can to ensure it doesn't crumble on you come time to slice. The crust will crumble a little bit, but a firmly packed in crust will hold up much better.
- use FULL-FAT heavy whipping cream: The cream needs to be full fat for the filling to set to the proper consistency. Also make sure to use heavy whipping cream and not table cream or half and half.
- whisk constantly: The cream mixture needs constant whisking to ensure even heating and to make sure the bottom doesn't burn.
- cool the filling slightly: Pouring the hot filling over the graham crack crust right away will result in a soggy crust. The filling needs a bit of time to cool down slightly beforehand just so it's not piping hot - but it's totally fine if it's a little warm.
- place the tart pan on a large plate: This one is optional, but it just makes it easier to move the tart around after the filling is poured in.
check out these other recipes!
• Lemon Monkey Bread
• Fresh Lemon Tiramisu
• Lemon Blueberry Loaf
• No Bake Biscoff Cheesecake
• No Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Easy Lemon Tart
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 tart
Description
This lemon tart is super easy to whip up and you only need 5 ingredients to make the filling and crust (AND no gelatin, eggs, or cornstarch needed!) The lemon flavored filling is silky smooth and creamy, with a crisp and crunchy graham cracker crust, and all no bake.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 2 cups (210g) graham cracker crumbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the lemon filling:
- 3 cups (720mL) full-fat heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup (120mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Make the crust: Combine crust ingredient in a medium bowl and mix together until well combined and moistened.
- Pack the crust into an 8 inch tart pan, pressing it firmly into the bottom and up the sides to make sure it sticks together. I like to use my fingers to press the crust into the sides and then use the bottom of a cup to push down the bottom crust. Set aside in the fridge.
- Make the lemon filling: In a medium sized saucepan, combine heavy cream, sugar, and lemon zest.
- Set over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it starts to boil.
- Once it boils, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and to keep it from boiling over. Simmer the cream mixture for 7 minutes while whisking constantly. It should reduce slightly and become a slightly darker yellowish color.
- Take the pot off the heat and whisk in the lemon juice.
- Strain the mixture into a medium sized bowl. If you like bites of lemon zest in the filling, you can skip straining it and just pour it straight into a bowl.
- Set the filling mixture aside for 20 to 30 minutes or until no longer hot (it'll still be a little warm though).
- Take the crust out of the fridge. I like to place the tart pan on a large plate before pouring the filling in just because it makes it easier to transfer.
- Pour the filling into the crust until it reaches just under the top of the sides. You may have a bit of leftover filling - you can just pour any excess into a cup and chill in the fridge until set then enjoy it as a little lemon pudding snack!
- Place the filled tart back into the fridge and chill for about 2-3 hours or until fully set.
- Remove the bottom of the tart pan and transfer the tart onto your serving plate. Slice and enjoy! Keep leftovers stored in the fridge until serving time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Enjoy!
Julian says
Lemon filling looks white in the photos. How about a filling that looks like the colour of lemon.
Mimi says
You could use food coloring if you prefer a yellower finish! Lemons don't significantly color anything on their own though - most lemon recipes that are bright yellow usually get their color from egg yolks or food coloring. This is eggless and naturally colored!