Lemon Tart with Olive Oil Shortcrust

This not-too-sweet lemon tart recipe gets a flavor upgrade with rich, fruity, and slightly savory extra virgin olive oil. Make this bright and citrusy treat that both grownups and kids will adore! 

When I first started to learn how to cook as a teen, I thought the secret—for lemon tart or just about any sweet treat—was always butter.

The traditional French tarte au citron is usually loaded with butter in both the shortcrust pastry and the lemon curd filling. While there was a time when I thought butter was the answer to all things delicious, my first restaurant job taught me otherwise. Working in professional kitchens taught me that many more exciting flavors make a dish irresistible. For this lemon tart recipe, the olive oil brings a captivatingly sweet-tart, bittersweet, fruity, herbaceous, and floral flavor. It almost makes a classic lemon tart seem one-note!

I’ve since begun swapping in olive oil to give my baked goods a more nuanced flavor. It keeps my Lemon Ricotta Cake moist for days, and even brings a richer texture to my Dark Chocolate Mousse. 

The olive oil lemon curd is bright and sharp, with just enough sugar to prevent puckering. I whisk in the olive oil off the heat, to protect the delicate flavor compounds. At this point, it’s tempting to skip the crust altogether. Then again, you could absolutely make the lemon curd to slather on toast or muffins, swirl into yogurt, or spoon over fresh berries.

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients for Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart
1. For the Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry
2. For the Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart Filling
2. A Case for Olive Oil vs Butter in Pastry and Filling
3. How to Make This Lemon Tart Recipe
1. Make the Olive Oil Shortcrust
2. Make the Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart Filling
4. What to Serve with Lemon Tart
5. More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
6. Lemon Tart Recipe

Ingredients for Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart

A good-quality, flavorful olive oil makes all the difference with this tart. I typically use regular lemons, but every once in a while, I use sweeter, more floral Meyer lemons instead.

For the Olive Oil Shortcrust Pastry

• All-purpose flour: The gluten content of all-purpose flour provides the structure for the dough without falling apart or becoming too tough.
• Sugar: A small amount of sugar sweetens the dough. 
• Egg: Binds the dough together.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil makes a rich and crisp crust full of fruity olive oil flavor. Lately, I’ve been baking with Hojiblanca olive oil at home, which has a fruity, bitter almond flavor. But I sometimes use Arbequina for a milder, smoother flavor.
• Salt: A pinch of salt brings out the flavor of the olive oil and prevents a bland crust.

For the Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart Filling

• Lemons: Lemon is bright and zingy, floral and fruity, making it an exciting—if classic—flavor for desserts. I use both the juice and zest to extract the most flavor. You could make this extra floral and fruity with Meyer lemons.
• Sugar: I add only as much sugar as needed to balance the sour lemon without getting rid of the zing.
• Eggs: I like to use a mix of whole eggs and egg yolks to thicken the lemon curd. Egg yolks not only help thicken the sauce, but they add richness and are a natural emulsifier making a smooth, creamy, lemon curd.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Lemons and olives have been used together for millennia in the Mediterranean. In desserts, they create a refreshing, bittersweet, tart, and fruity flavor that can’t help but transport you to the azure waters of the Mediterranean coast.
• Cornstarch: A little cornstarch aids in thickening the lemon curd. If preferred, it can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds depth and floral sweetness.
• Salt: Salt enhances the other flavors of the filling.

A Case for Olive Oil vs Butter in Pastry and Filling

While olive oil and butter are both fats, they taste and behave very differently. Olive oil has an assertive flavor, but its beautiful flavor is the main reason I wanted to use it in this lemon tart in the first place. While butter is solid at room temperature, olive oil doesn’t begin to solidify until it’s much colder. As an emulsion of butterfat and water, butter is typically around 80% fat, whereas olive oil is 100% fat.

Using olive oil in the crust contributes flavor and makes it crisper and crumblier, or “shorter,” than a butter crust. The fat (butter, oil, or shortening) coats the flour, preventing the gluten from forming long strands. The gluten strands are kept “short,” resulting in a tender, crisp, and crumbly consistency rather than stretchy or chewy.

You don’t need to pay attention to the temperature of the dough, spend time cutting butter into the flour, or chill it like you do with a butter crust. Because oil is a liquid, the crust is easier and faster to mix. There’s also less risk of the crust slumping in the oven.

I also made adjustments for using olive oil in the lemon curd tart filling. Because butter solidifies, it also helps the lemon curd set when it cools. Too much olive oil could thin the filling too much or impart an oily mouthfeel. I use less olive oil in the filling than I would normally use of butter to prevent it from being too runny or feeling too oily. I also added a little bit of cornstarch for extra thickening.

• READ MORE: A Comprehensive Guide to Baking With Olive Oil

How to Make This Lemon Tart Recipe

Because it’s easy to mix and doesn’t need to chill, the olive oil crust makes this tart quicker and easier than a butter crust. It’s a little crumblier than a butter shortcrust pastry, which makes it difficult to roll out. So, I make it easy and just press the dough directly into the pan. I start preparing the filling while the crust is baking to save time. Make sure to plan at least 2 hours for the tart to cool before slicing and serving.

Make the Olive Oil Shortcrust

• Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Mix the dough: In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all purpose flour, 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 1 large egg and 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil, and stir with a spatula or a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
• Line the tart: This dough is difficult to roll, so I prefer to press it into the pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Bake the crust: Bake the crust for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. I like to set the tart pan in a rimmed baking sheet as I find it’s easier to handle with oven mitts than the tart pan on its own. Remove the crust from the oven and let it sit in the pan on a wire rack while you finish making the filling (leave the oven on).

Make the Olive Oil Lemon Curd Tart Filling

• While the crust is baking, make the olive oil lemon curd filling: In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup (120 grams) granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest into the sugar, infusing the sugar with the zest’s flavorful oils. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt salt and whisk to combine.
• Add 4 large whole eggs and 4 egg yolks. Whisk until smooth. Pour in 1/2 cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice and whisk to combine.
• Cook the filling: Pour the lemon mixture into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, the lemon curd should register between 160°F and 170°F. Take the pan off the heat. 
• Season. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil and whisk until the oil has emulsified completely into the lemon curd. 
• Strain (optional). For an extra smooth filling, pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove the lemon zest and any lumps.
• Bake the tart: Pour the filling into the baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the filling is set with barely a jiggle in the center when the pan is gently shaken.
• Cool: Let the tart cool completely on a wire rack, for at least 2 hours. The filling will set further as the tart cools.
• Chill (optional): For a firmer filling and cleaner slices, chill the tart in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Serve: Serve at room temperature or cold. Serve slices with a dusting of powdered sugar, fresh berries, whipped Greek yogurt, whipped labneh, or whipped cream.

What to Serve with Lemon Tart

My favorite way to serve this lemon tart is with a simple dusting of powdered sugar and a handful of fresh berries, like blueberries and raspberries. A dollop of homemade whipped cream can tame the tanginess, or embrace it with whipped Labneh or whipped Greek yogurt.

• To make whipped Labneh: Use the instructions from my Strawberry Shortcake Recipe. 
• To make whipped Greek yogurt: Combine 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and honey or powdered sugar to taste in a bowl. Use a mixer to whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes.

The floral flavors of the olive oil and lemon would be a perfect match for Black Tea with Mint. If you’re more of a coffee person, serve slices with a hot coffee or espresso, or this iced Freddo Espresso.

More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

Desserts

French Pear Tart Recipe

Appetizer and Mezze

Strawberry Tart with Fillo Crust

Desserts

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Italian

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe

Browse all Mediterranean recipes. 

Visit Our Shop.