Lavender Lemon Easter Tart

Lavender Lemon Easter Tart

Imagine spring sunshine, wind blowing through lavender fields, and little cotton-tailed Easter rabbits bouncing through the flowers while you sip a glass of fresh lemonade. This is what I think about when I taste this Easter tart! It’s such a delightful experience.

I’m going to serve this with my Easter dinner this year. I’m making rosemary lamb chops with a lovely Easter salad and lemon turmeric pearl couscous!

This recipe is also easily made into lemon bars, instead of a tart, if you don’t have a tart tin or would rather have everything pre-cut and easy to serve right away.

The Process

First, we’ll make lavender sugar in a food processor.

Next, we’ll mix the dough, press it into a tart tin, weigh the dough down with pie weights (or rice like I do), and bake.

Then, we’ll whisk together lemon juice, eggs, lavender sugar, and flour, and pour it into our baked tart crust.

Finally, we’ll bake the tart, allow it to cool and set for 4 hours and serve.

Ingredient Notes

Eggs – Use “jumbo” ones.

Lavender – This is dried, organic, food-grade lavender. If you can’t find it in a local store, you can easily find it on Amazon.

Vanilla Extract – Use a high-quality real extract. Not imitation.

Butter – Use a salted butter.

How to Make This Easter Tart – Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. (175 C.) Pour ½ cup sugar and 2 tsp. dry culinary lavender into a food processor. Pulse on a purée setting until lavender is very chopped into the sugar, about 30 seconds.

2. Pour lavender sugar and 1 cup white granulated sugar into a mixing bowl. Mix until fully incorporated.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, add 4 oz. melted butter, ¼ cup mixed lavender sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Once combined, add 1 cup flour and mix into a smooth, crumbly dough. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. 

4. Cut a circle of wax paper and place it in the tart tin. You only want it to go halfway up the sides. This is optional. I just find it makes removing the tart much easier later.

5. Press dough evenly into the tart tin, working it up the sides and all around the interior. If the dough is still a little sticky, simply lay a sheet of cellophane over it while you press it into shape.

6. To prevent the tart dough from rising while it bakes, line the uncooked tart dough with foil or wax paper. 

7. Then, add pie weights on top, or just fill it with rice like I’ve done. You can also use dry beans or even popcorn. Bake for 25-30 minutes. If you use wax paper for your weight, it will be done closer to 25 minutes. If you use foil, it will be done closer to 30 minutes.

8. While dough bakes, add zest from 1 lemon, ½ cup fresh lemon juice and 4 eggs to the remaining lavender sugar. Whisk together. Then, gently whisk in ¼ cup flour until thoroughly combined. It will seem very liquidy for a custard base. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to.

9. Once crust is ready, carefully remove tin from the oven and remove the weight you chose. Place tin on a baking sheet for easy placement back into the oven (mine has a rack, but you can place on a sheet without a rack). Carefully pour liquid custard into the crust, then very carefully place tart back into the oven.

10. Reduce temperature to 325 F. (160 C.) and bake for 30 minutes. Once done, remove from oven and allow it to cool for 10-20 minutes. Cover with cellophane, chill for 4 hours, remove from tin and serve.

Helpful Tips

1. Don’t be worried if your tart dough isn’t thoroughly cooked before adding your custard. It doesn’t have to be. It will bake completely when you’re baking the full tart with custard.

2. If you’re using tin foil with your pie weights, make sure not to press it too hard into the dough, and don’t wrap it tightly around the edges. You don’t want the dough to stick to it once removed.

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