This tart balances all the things: crunchy graham cracker crust, tart lemon curd, and sweet and fluffy whipped cream. It’s a bright and cheery dessert perfect for the heat or anytime you want something sweet and delicious but not too heavy.

The story

I tried to make this a no-bake lemon meringue tart. I had these high hopes of making a Swiss meringue topping that you can just torch a bit and voila, lemon meringue tart, sans the oven. But no. My battle against Swiss meringue continues. Only once have I made a successful Swiss meringue, and that was years ago as a cake frosting. I don’t remember what recipe I used or what tricks I followed to get it to work.

So, I ended up with soupy Swiss meringue (which is essentially marshmallow sauce that I 100% saved for ice cream sundaes) and used plain old whipped cream for the topping.

It was delicious anyway. Just another lemon pie/tart option that I will for sure be making again.

Oh, and fun fact: I only realized a couple years ago that meringue is the stuff on pie that you eat and merengue is pronounced “mer-ANG-ay” and is a type of dance. Thank you, Dancing with the Stars.

How to make this recipe

First, you need to make the graham cracker pie crust. Just grind up a sleeve (or more, depending on how big your tart pan is) if graham crackers with some sugar. (See this recipe for tips on how much to make. If you end up with extra crust, you can use it in these s’mores cookies.)

Add melted butter then press into a tart pan, ideal with a removable bottom. Freeze while you make the lemon curd.

Make the curd. Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl then whisk water and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and salt. Cook until thick.

Temper half of the liquid into the egg yolks then pour that all back into the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until bubbling.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Stir for a minute or two to help it cool slightly before pouring into your frozen crust. Smooth the top then refrigerate for an hour.

Once the curd is set, make the whipped cream. You can do this by hand (if you’re working on your Michelle Obama arms), with a handheld mixer, or with a stand mixer and the whisk attachment. Combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until just slightly past soft peaks. You’re not looking for stabilized whipped cream texture, just enough to hold its shape for a couple days. If you anticipate the entire tart being eaten that day, soft peaks will do. Smooth over the tart and enjoy!

Tips for this recipe

See crust and curd recipes for more

There are a few tips here and here that might be helpful if you’ve never made either recipe before. The crust and whipped cream are beyond easy, but the curd can be challenging if it’s your first time. Just whisk constantly and watch carefully. Also, if you want to tone down the lemon flavor, that recipe has details on how to do so.

Add lemon zest to the crust

I meant to do this and totally forgot. I’ve done it in the past, though, and it’s the extra kicker you might want if you’re a big lemon fan. Add up to a tablespoon right in with the grahams before you grind them to help the zest release its flavor.

Don’t skimp on the sugar in the whipped cream

The crust isn’t super sweet because I see it as a palette for the rest of the dessert. The curd is a little sweet but mostly tart. So the whipped cream needs to bring it all together with that hint of sweetness. If you like sweet desserts, you can add a little extra sugar to give it a more balanced flavor, but don’t go overboard or you’ll overshadow the tartness of the curd.

Add berries!

I didn’t get a picture of this, but I tried a piece with some leftover berries and it was divine. I also think a thin layer of raspberry jam on the bottom would be perfection.

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No-Bake Lemon Curd Pie

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 10-16 minutes

chill time: 1 hour

total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Servings: 8-12

Ingredients:

one graham cracker pie crust

for the lemon curd filling

6 egg yolks

¼ cup cornstarch (increase to ⅓ if using as a pie filling)

½ cup water

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice, about 6-8 lemons (see note)

1-2 tablespoons lemon zest, to taste

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

for the whipped cream topping

2 cups heavy whipping cream (or more, to taste)

⅓ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

Instructions:

Make the graham cracker crust by grinding the crackers and sugar in a blender or food processor. Add melted butter and pulse (or stir in a separate bowl) until well-combined. Spread in your tart (or pie) pan, ideally one with a removable bottom. Begin to press more firmly with a flat bottomed glass or measuring cup, but move around the crust as you do so (evenly applying more and more pressure to ensure equal thickness throughout). Be sure the sides are packed in well. Freeze while you make the lemon curd (or, if you want to take a break, refrigerate 1-2 hours then make the curd).

Make the lemon curd by whisking egg yolks in a medium bowl, then set aside. Whisk cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan until smooth, then whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Let it get a little thicker than you want your final filling, as the egg yolks and butter will thin it out. Temper half of the lemon mixture into egg yolks by pouring very slowly and whisking quickly and constantly. Pour it all back into the saucepan then continue cooking over medium until it begins to bubble. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes, whisking occasionally, to let it cool just a bit then pour into set tart crust. Spread evenly then refrigerate 1-2 hours until set.

Make the whipped cream topping by placing cream, sugar, and vanilla (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium to large mixing bowl (chilled, if you want). Whisk using the whisk attachment of the stand mixer or a handheld mixer (or just a whisk, but it’s quite an arm workout) for about 3-5 minutes, until soft peaks form. If you aren’t eating the tart right away or anticipate leftovers, whisk a little longer does the topping doesn’t melt in the fridge. Spread on top of the set lemon curd filling.

Enjoy! Store in the fridge. Cover with plastic wrap if it will be in the fridge more than a couple hours.