A strawberry lemon curd tart brings together two flavours that are hard to beat in a summer dessert. Fresh strawberries add a sweet, fruity flavour, while lemon gives the filling a bright citrus kick that keeps the whole thing from tasting too sugary. Add a crisp, buttery tart shell and you have a dessert that looks right at home on a cake stand but doesn’t require professional pastry skills.
This version has a homemade shortcrust pastry base, a smooth lemon filling and fresh strawberries arranged over the top. The lemon layer can be prepared ahead, making it a handy dessert for a weekend lunch, afternoon coffee or a gathering where the oven is already doing enough work.
Why This Strawberry Lemon Tart Works
The secret is getting the balance between the pastry, lemon and strawberries right. A tart shell with a little crunch provides a sturdy base for the soft filling, while the strawberries bring freshness and natural sweetness.
The homemade lemon curd brings a lively citrus flavour, with butter giving it a rich, smooth texture. Fresh strawberries on top add sweetness and keep the lemon from dominating the whole dessert.
There’s also room to adjust the sweetness. Very ripe strawberries need less help, whereas berries picked a little early can benefit from a light dusting of sugar or a thin glaze before serving.
Ingredients you will need
For the pastry
– 200 g plain flour
– 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
– 50 g icing sugar
– 1 egg yolk
– 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, as needed
– A pinch of salt
– cornflour (optional)
For the lemon filling
3 large eggs
150 g granulated sugar
120 ml fresh lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
100 g unsalted butter, cubed
For the strawberry topping
– 250 to 300 g fresh strawberries
– 1 tablespoon apricot jam or strawberry jam, optional
– 1 teaspoon water, if needed to thin the jam
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Curd Tart
1. Prepare the pastry dough
Mix the flour, icing sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring everything together into a dough. Or just use a chopper like I did 😉
Work the dough only until it holds together. Overworking it can develop the gluten in the flour, leaving the baked shell tougher than it needs to be.
Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
This gives the butter time to firm up and makes the pastry easier to roll.
2. Line the tart tin
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Lightly flour the work surface and roll the chilled dough into a circle large enough to line a 23 cm tart tin.
Transfer the pastry to the tin, gently pressing it into the base and sides.
Trim the overhanging edges and prick the base a few times with a fork.
Refrigerate for another 15 minutes if the pastry has become soft.
Line the pastry shell with baking parchment and fill it with baking beans or uncooked rice.
Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights. After blind-baking it brush the inside of the hot but slightly cooled pastry shell with a thin layer of lightly beaten egg white and return it to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, until the egg white sets. Continue baking for another 7 to 10 minutes, until the base looks dry and the pastry is lightly golden. Leave the shell to cool completely before adding the lemon curd.
For more detail on preparing a pastry shell before adding the filling, see this guide to blind-baking pie crust.
3. Make the lemon curd filling
Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a heatproof bowl until smooth, then stir in the lemon juice and zest.
Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. Cook for around 8 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk or spatula, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. The timing will vary with the heat and the bowl, so use the consistency as your guide rather than relying on the clock alone.
Remove the bowl from the heat and gradually whisk in the butter until melted and fully incorporated. The curd should look glossy and smooth. If you notice any small cooked egg pieces, pass it through a fine sieve.
Pour the warm lemon curd into the cooled pastry shell and spread it evenly. Leave it to cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until set before adding the strawberries.
Prefer a firmer, more custard-like filling?
Add 1 tablespoon of cornflour to the sugar and eggs and whisk until completely smooth before adding the lemon juice and zest. Cook the mixture over gently simmering water, stirring continuously, until thickened, then whisk in the butter. The cornflour helps the filling hold its shape, although the texture will be slightly different from traditional lemon curd.
4. Chill and set the tart
Let the filled tart cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until the lemon curd is fully set. Don’t rush this stage, as cutting the tart before the filling has chilled properly can leave the slices soft and messy.
5. Add the strawberries
Wash the strawberries and dry them thoroughly. Remove the green tops, then slice the berries or cut them into halves, depending on their size.
Arrange them over the chilled lemon filling. They can be placed in overlapping circles for a neat finish or scattered more casually for a relaxed homemade look.
For a glossy finish, warm the jam with a teaspoon of water until runny. Brush a thin layer over the strawberries, taking care not to leave thick patches of glaze. This step is optional, but it helps the fruit look fresh for serving.
Slice with a sharp knife and serve chilled.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Lemon Tart
Use fresh lemon juice. Bottled juice can work in a pinch, but freshly squeezed lemons give the filling a brighter flavour. Zest the lemons before juicing them, and avoid grating too deeply into the bitter white pith.
Keep the pastry cold. Warm dough is harder to handle and more likely to shrink in the oven. If it starts sticking or feels greasy while rolling, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Bake the shell thoroughly. The pastry needs to be dry before the lemon filling goes in. An underbaked base can become soft once the filling is added, especially after chilling.
Dry the strawberries well. Excess water from washed fruit can make the top look wet and dilute the flavour. Pat the berries dry before slicing and arranging them.
Let the filling set completely. A few hours in the fridge gives the lemon layer enough time to firm up, making it easier to cut clean slices.
Variations you can try
Strawberry Lemon Tart with Mascarpone
For a milder, creamier version, spread a thin layer of sweetened mascarpone over the chilled lemon filling before arranging the strawberries. Keep the layer relatively thin so the mascarpone doesn’t overwhelm the citrus.
Lemon Tart with Mixed Berries
Replace some of the strawberries with raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Raspberries bring extra tartness, while blueberries add a gentler sweetness. A mixture also makes good use of whatever fruit is ripe and available.
Quick Strawberry Lemon Curd Tart
For a shortcut, use good-quality lemon curd instead of making the filling from scratch. Spoon it into the cooled pastry shell, chill until firm and add the strawberries just before serving. The texture and sweetness will depend on the curd, so choose one with a pronounced lemon flavour.
Almond Pastry Base
Replace 30 g of the flour with finely ground almonds. The pastry will have a slightly nuttier flavour that works particularly well with the strawberries and lemon.
Roasted Strawberries with Vanilla
For a softer, syrupy topping, roast the strawberries with sugar and vanilla instead of using them fresh. Heat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Hull and halve 250 to 300 g of strawberries, then place them in a small baking dish with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and the seeds scraped from half a vanilla pod. Toss gently to coat.
Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the strawberries soften and release their juices, forming a light syrup.
Leave them to cool completely, then spoon the berries over the chilled lemon curd tart just before serving.
Add a little of the syrup for extra flavour, but avoid using all the liquid if it seems watery, as too much moisture can soften the pastry.
Can You Make Strawberry Lemon Tart Ahead?
Yes. The pastry shell can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature once completely cool. The lemon filling can also be made in advance and refrigerated.
For the best texture, assemble the tart and add the strawberries on the day of serving. If you need to prepare the whole dessert ahead, keep it covered in the refrigerator and aim to serve it within 24 hours. The fruit will gradually release moisture, and the pastry will soften as it sits.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tart is best eaten chilled, and it should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Freezing the fully assembled tart isn’t recommended because fresh strawberries can become watery and lose their texture after thawing. The unfilled pastry shell, however, can be frozen for later use.
What to Serve with Strawberry Lemon Tart
The tart is lovely on its own, but a spoonful of lightly whipped cream can soften the lemon’s sharpness. Vanilla or lemon ice cream is another good option, especially if the tart is served straight from the refrigerator.
For something to drink, try black tea, green tea or coffee. Their slight bitterness balances the sweet pastry and fruit without competing with the lemon.
Strawberry Lemon Tart Recipe
Share on Facebook Share by EmailEquipment
- Tart tin: 23 cm
Ingredients
- Pastry
- - 200 g plain flour
- - 100 g cold unsalted butter
- - 50 g icing sugar
- - 1 egg yolk
- - 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
- - Pinch of salt
- Lemon filling
- - 3 large eggs
- - 150 g granulated sugar
- - 120 ml fresh lemon juice
- - Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
- - 100 g unsalted butter
- - 1 tablespoon cornflour
- Topping
- - 250 to 300 g fresh strawberries
- - 1 tablespoon jam optional
Instructions
- Combine the flour, icing sugar and salt. Rub in the cold butter, then mix in the egg yolk and enough cold water to form a dough.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Roll it out and line a 23 cm tart tin.
- Chill the lined tin for 15 minutes. Line with parchment, add baking weights and bake at 180°C conventional (160°C fan) for 15 minutes.
- Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for another 8 to 12 minutes. Cool completely.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together, then stir in the lemon juice and zest.
- Cook over gently simmering water, stirring constantly, for around 8 to 12 minutes, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.
- Pour into the cooled pastry shell and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until set.
- Arrange the dry, sliced strawberries over the chilled filling.
- If desired, brush the fruit with warmed, thinned jam. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
Enjoy!
