Meyer Lemon Bar Tart

This meyer lemon bar tart is a delicious, tangy twist on the traditional lemon bar. A light and lemony citrus filling atop a delicious buttery shortbread poppy seed crust with a hint of almond flavor. It’s like a slice of sunshine on a plate!

When it comes to dessert I’m pretty partial to chocolate, especially in February which is basically an entire month devoted to all the chocolatey things. And deservedly so. But I’m also a huge fan of Meyer lemons in baked goods and they happen to be in season now. Truth be told, if I’m not indulging in a chocolate something or other, you’ll find me puckering up for a slice of lemon anything.
I’ve been making lemon bars for years, ever since my citrus loving better half planted a pretty little Meyer lemon tree in the backyard of our first home. Every January our tree would be bursting with bright and juicy lemons which meant you could find me in the kitchen baking lemon bars on repeat. When life gives you lemons, skip the lemonade and make lemon bars. I will say lemon poppy seed cake is also a solid choice. You can find that delicious recipe here. I was hosting a dinner party a couple of weeks ago and had a bunch of bright and shiny Meyers fresh off the tree. I decided to kick my traditional lemon bars up a notch or two and make them into a tart and now I may never make a regular lemon bar again. This tart is just as easy and it’s a beauty with that pretty fluted edge. Plus you get that bonus piece of shortbread crust which really sweetens the deal. This sunny lemon tart just the reminder we all need that spring is right around the corner.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR MEYER LEMON BAR TART

Lemons. Meyer lemons are best if you can get your hands on them. The lemons are juicy and the flavor is slightly sweeter than regular lemons. If using standard lemons, add a pinch more sugar to the lemon curd filling to off set the tartness of the lemons.
Sugar. To balance the tartness of the citrus we’ll add a generous dose of sugar to both the curd and the crust. Add more sugar for a sweeter tart and less for an extra tangy flavor. Top the tart with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar for a pretty as can be dessert.
Almond Flour. To give that buttery shortbread crust a hint of almond flavor and a deliciously crunchy texture, we add a bit of almond flour to the mix. I prefer finely ground almond flour like the one from Bobs Red Mill, but any almond flour will work.
Eggs. To make that luscious lemon curd filling we’ll need lots of eggs. Stock up the next time you are at the market.
Poppy seeds. I love the extra crunch that comes from adding poppy seeds to the buttery shortbread crust. If you aren’t a fan or don’t have any on hand, feel free to omit them. Lemon and poppy seed flavors are a match made in heaven and I could snack on this crust all by itself.
Butter. We’ll need cold, cubed butter for the curd and melted, cooled butter for the crust. No need to wait for our butter to reach room temperature so you can whip up this recipe when the craving strikes.

HOW TO MAKE A MEYER LEMON BAR TART

Don’t despair if you don’t have fresh Meyer lemons on hand. Any lemon will do but an extra trip to the store, or your neighbor’s tree {wink, wink} is well worth the time if you have it. To make this tart, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients and a 9 inch tart pan. I’m a big fan of this one from Sur la Table. They have a range of sizes and shapes so feel free to shake things up and make this tart into a square or rectangle.  You can even bake this up in mini tart pans for individual servings. You do you. The crust comes together in no time by combining all the ingredients in a mixer. A few quick stirs and your crust is ready to be pressed into the tart pan. I love that this tart uses a press in crust rather than a roll out dough. It couldn’t be easier to throw together. Bake the crust until just barely golden brown and then allow it to cool for a bit before adding the lemon curd. Once you pop the tart back in the oven, I suggest keeping a close eye on the tart as baking times vary from oven to oven. The tart is done when the center is just barely set but still jiggles a bit like jello.

HOW TO SERVE LEMON TART

Now for the hard part…to get these perfectly cut edges you’re going to have to wait awhile for the tart to cool. I know, I know. It’s basically torture but you’ll get through it. And believe me when I say that it’s well worth the wait. Cool the tart on a wire rack until room temperature and then place it in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Bright and tart flavors are always best served cold if you ask me, so slice this beauty up just before serving. This Meyer Lemon Bar Tart is positively refreshing and it makes for a pretty presentation at the table.
Happy baking!
If you like this Meyer Lemon Bar Tart, you’ll also love….
Easy Lemon Bundt Cake
Meyer Lemon Poppyseed Cake
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts