best (and easiest) lemon tart

Lemon desserts are perfect for summer, the luscious yellow color reminding us of the sun's rays. In addition, refreshing tartness is much nicer than sickly sweetness on a hot day, which is why this lemon tart is so particularly delicious when the temperature climbs.

Unlike some lemon desserts that have a gummy texture, this filling literally dissolves in your mouth, leaving behind a clean pure lemon flavor that contrasts with whipped cream to make your taste buds sing. The shortbread crust never turns soggy, making it the perfect crisp accompaniment%u2026 and a lot easier to make than a traditional pie crust when it's hot outside.

Pair a lemony slice with a homemade blueberry compote, fresh sliced strawberries or fresh raspberries to make an extra-special dessert your family or guests will love, or just eat it with a dollop of whipped cream. You'll be the Queen of Tarts with the simple recipe below.

For the shortbread crust:

1 cup plain flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
Pinch salt

For the filling:

1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. plain flour

Whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line bottom of a round 9-inch (23 cm) non-stick springform pan with baking paper.

To make the crust: in food processor, briefly blend flour, powdered sugar and salt to combine. Add pieces of cold butter and process until mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed. Press into bottom and half-way up sides of prepared springform pan.

To make the filling: put sugar and lemon zest into a bowl and whisk together a few seconds to help release the oils in the zest. Add lemon juice and stir until combined. Next, add baking powder and flour, whisking well, then whisk in both eggs until mixture is smooth. Pour into springform pan. It's important to put the tart into the oven without delay at this stage, as the lemon juice will begin to "cook" the eggs if you wait too long.

Bake 20 minutes, turn, and bake another 10 minutes. If tart begins to get too brown, lay a sheet of tin foil loosely over the top of the pan. Check for doneness by very lightly pressing the top (be careful, filling is hot!) It should have a slightly spongy texture, not overly firm. Let cool 10 minutes before removing springform pan's collar, then let tart cool completely before serving with whipped cream. As this is a "tart" tart, whipped cream is a necessity.