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I am so relieved. I was starting to feel jinxed or not worthy or something equally unreasonable. Finally, after two years of searching my local grocery stores, I found Meyer Lemons. And, once again, I find myself feeling like the last one to the party – but trying to make a grand entrance!
Yes I got giddy (and maybe squealed ever so slightly) when I spied this pretty yellow bag. I clutched these fruits gently and placed them in my shopping cart, up front with me, where I could keep an eye on ’em. I found myself looking down reading those words over and over again – “The Chefs preference for desserts, beverages, main dishes and more!” Finally I will get to taste these magic yellow fruits for myself.
Look at these beautiful lemons! They’re still fresh and slightly green at the tip. No blemishes or bruises, just perfect skin and soft juicy insides.
“Dandy Meyer Lemons are a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange. This unique fruit blends the traditional flavor of a lemon and the sweetness of an orange creating a refreshingly exceptional taste experience. It’s rich, dark and aromatic juice is much sweeter than a conventional lemon making its distinctive flavor a favorite among gourmet cooks and dessert chefs.” Duda Fresh
The hardest part was trying to decide what to make. I had one shot to make them shine and decided on a lemon tart where the flavor would be enhanced, not hidden. The crust is made with melted butter mixed with finely grated lemon zest, all purpose unbleached flour, a pinch of salt and a little sugar to round out the base ingredients. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown.
Mix the remaining sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch and the last of the lemon peel in a food processor until the zest is finely ground.
Whisk the sugar and zest mixture with the lightly whisked eggs. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Fold in 1/2 cup of whipped heavy cream. So simple! Pour the filling into the warm crust and return to the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the filing is just set in the middle.
I cut a few pieces for my son to take to work before I shot the photos. He was recently promoted and we’re so proud and excited! That’s not the only reason I had to cut the tart however. It seems while cooling my lovely Meyer Lemon Tart, our cat decided to sneak up on the counter-top and licked a big hole in the filling. I mean seriously – what kind of cat likes sugar, lemon and eggs? We only figured this out after I held an inquisition accusing everyone in the house of spooning out a taste of our perfectly beautiful dessert. Everyone knows not to eat the blog-able dishes until the pictures are done!
I want to shout out a special thank you to my lovely blog friend who lives out West for this absolutely beautiful, unique and special pie server she sent me as a Christmas gift. I couldn’t wait to have the chance to use it – isn’t it just gorgeous?
Despite the troubles I’ve had with Meyer Lemons, they certainly live up to the hype. They are sweet and tart and so fresh, juicy and delicious!
Meyer Lemon Tart
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
A delicious lemon tart that is simple to make and easy to share!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
For the filling:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 pinch of salt
- 6 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1 cup fresh Meyer Lemon juice, about 6 lemons, remove zest before juicing
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- powdered sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in the microwave and stir in 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Set aside for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Combine the flour, ¼ cup sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until combined. Add the butter and zest mixture slowly, pulsing until the ingredients are blended.
- Pour the crust mixture into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the mixture using your fingertips evenly up the sides and on the bottom of the pan. (Make sure the crust goes to the top of the sides of the pan. The filling with rise to the edge of the top and you don’t want it to over flow.)
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
- Combine ¾ cup sugar, a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon arrowroot and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest in the bowl of the food processor. Process until the zest is finely ground – about 2 or 3 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk the eggs. Add the sugar and lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
- In a small bowl beat the ½ cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gently whisk the cream into the egg and sugar mixture until blended. Carefully pour the filling into the warm crust and bake for 25 minutes or until the center is just set. Cool the tart completely and garnish with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
- (slighted adapted from Luscious Lemon Desserts via Not So Humble Pie)
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
I’m looking forward to a normal week. I was really sick last week and it feels great to be up and out again. I just hate being sick – it is the pits! Hope you all have a lovely healthy week and thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Robert Plata
Hi! Perfect timing! I just bought a bag as well. I can’t wait to make this tart.
By the way, do you have nutrition information? We have some diabetics in our household that need to know such things.
Thanks!
Tricia Buice
Hi Robert! I hope you love it as much as we did. I don’t have the nutritional information – hope to add that one of these days! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Anonymous
It's so funny, I too came home gloating after finally finding Meyer lemons in the grocery store. Exact same bag too! Going to make your pie today. Can't wait to taste it. Thanks for the recipe. Suzanne
jennambrai
I am lucky enough to have a neighbor who has a Meyer lemon tree in her backyard and lets me have all I want, so I juice the lemons and freeze the juice in cubes for later. My cat growing up LOVED lemon cookies, and would bat them around the kitchen until he had separated the cookie and would lick the lemon creme. Great post, I'm adding this to my Sunday brunch! Thanks!
Tanna at The Brick Street Bungalow
LOL! I love ANYTHING that elicits giddy squeals!! This looks absolutely divine, Tricia. So glad you are feeling better and CONGRATULATIONS to your hubby!! blessings to all ~ tanna
JodieMo
I have yet to see one myself either! This looks delicious!!