James Martin Lemon Tart

This James Martin lemon tart is a classic British dessert with a crisp, buttery pastry and a smooth, sharply flavoured lemon filling. The texture is silky and rich, balanced by fresh citrus that cuts through the sweetness beautifully. It is a confident but approachable bake, ideal for anyone comfortable with basic pastry. From start to finish, allow around 1 hour 45 minutes including chilling and cooling.

Ingredients

For the sweet pastry

• 175g plain flour
• 100g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 25g icing sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 to 2 tbsp cold water

For the lemon filling

• 5 large eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml double cream
• Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
• 150ml fresh lemon juice, about 3 to 4 lemons

How to Make James Martin Lemon Tart

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the tart bakes evenly. Lightly grease a 23cm loose-based tart tin.
• Make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar, then add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring the dough together. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Blind bake the case: Roll out the chilled pastry and line the tin, pressing it neatly into the edges. Prick the base, line with baking parchment, and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the beans, then bake for a further 5 minutes until pale golden.
• Mix the filling: Whisk the eggs and caster sugar gently until combined. Stir in the cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Avoid whisking too much air into the mixture.
• Bake the tart: Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C or 120°C fan. Pour the filling into the warm pastry case and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until just set with a slight wobble in the centre.
• Cool and finish: Remove from the oven and allow the tart to cool completely in the tin. Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing for the cleanest finish.

Tips

Why is my lemon tart cracking?

Cracks usually mean the oven was too hot or the tart was baked too long. A gentle, low temperature keeps the filling smooth.

How do I stop the pastry shrinking?

Chill the pastry well and avoid stretching it when lining the tin. Let it rest before baking.

Can I make this tart less sharp?

You can reduce the lemon juice slightly and replace it with a little extra cream for a milder flavour.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with lightly whipped cream
• Add fresh raspberries or blueberries
• Dust with icing sugar just before serving

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the tart at room temperature for up to 6 hours if serving the same day.

Refrigerator

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Freezing

The baked tart can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and serve chilled.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 27g
• Saturated fat: 16g
• Sodium: 120mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

James Martin Lemon Tart

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A classic James Martin lemon tart with crisp sweet pastry and a smooth, zesty lemon filling. A timeless British dessert.

Ingredients

• 175g plain flour

• 100g unsalted butter, chilled

• 25g icing sugar

• 1 egg yolk

• 5 large eggs

• 150g caster sugar

• 150ml double cream

• Zest of 2 lemons

• 150ml fresh lemon juice

• Cold water, as needed

• Butter, for greasing

Directions

• Preheat oven and prepare tart tin.
• Make and chill the pastry dough.
• Blind bake the pastry case until lightly golden.
• Mix eggs, sugar, cream, lemon zest, and juice gently.
• Pour filling into pastry and bake at low temperature until just set.
• Cool completely and chill before serving.

Notes

• Bake at a low temperature to avoid cracking.
• Chill before slicing for clean edges.
• Serve at room temperature for best flavour.