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The real recipe for Menton lemon tart

The real recipe for Menton lemon tart

Crunchy pastry, melting cream, mouth-watering meringue… There’s no doubt about it: the famous lemon tart has invited itself onto your plate! Boldly zesty with a tangy edge, this pastry has the power to transform a simple bite into a veritable gustatory escapade. As for the fruit, we’ve already come up with the perfect recipe: the famous IGP Menton Lemon, of course. Ready to get your (sweet) hands dirty?

🍋 The golden fruit: the Menton lemon,

a true institution

Lemons and Menton are a great love story! Here, on this corner of paradise bathed in Mediterranean sunshine, grows a golden treasure: the IGP Citron de Menton.

A child of the land and guardian of age-old traditions, it flourishes in our destination’s unique microclimate. Between sea and mountains, protected from northerly winds and caressed by a gentle sea breeze, the golden fruit reveals its inimitable flavor: a delicate acidity, a thick, fragrant skin, and a subtle aroma that makes it the ally of the greatest chefs. For centuries, Menton’s terraced landscapes have preserved this jewel in the tradition of ancestral methods.

Ripened straight from the tree, harvested by hand, without wax or chemical treatment, the Citron de Menton is much more than a citrus fruit: it’s the symbol of exceptional know-how and terroir. A golden fruit recognized and protected by its IGP, it now shines on market stalls, ready to delight the taste buds of gourmets and gourmands alike!

👨‍🍳 Lemon tart recipe

in the style of Chef Mauro Colagreco

Passionate and daring, Chef Mauro Colagreco has made mincemeat of the lemon tart recipe.

The ace chef has perfected it to bring you the best of Menton’s traditions. In the kitchen!

➡️ Step 1: Preparing the sweet dough

Preparing the sweet dough

Ingredients

55 g softened butter
65 g caster sugar
1 lemon (zest)
2 g salt
30 g egg yolks
125 g flour

Preparation:

  • Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add lemon zest and salt, then mix in egg yolks.
  • Mix well before adding the sifted flour. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Roll out the sweet dough into a thin layer (3 mm) and place in a tart tin (18 cm diameter). Trim the excess flush with the tin, prick with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Bake at 180°C for 11 minutes.

➡️ Step 2: Creating the lemon curd

Creating the lemon cream

Ingredients

100 g sugar
50 g eggs
60 g egg yolks
60 g lemon juice
1 lemon (juice and zest)
120 g butter

Preparation:

  • In a bowl, whisk sugar, eggs and yolks until smooth. Add lemon juice and zest.
  • In a saucepan, cook over low heat, stirring, until 82°C.
  • Strain and pour over the cold butter, cut into pieces. Mix well.

➡️ Step 3:

Making the Italian meringue

Ingredients:

70 g water
200 g caster sugar
100 g egg whites

Preparation:

  • Heat water and sugar in a saucepan to 118°C. At 115°C, beat egg whites until stiff with a mixer.
    Pour the hot syrup (at 118°C) over the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating at high speed until cool. Set aside in a piping bag.

➡️ Step 4:

Finishing and dressing the lemon tart

Preparation:

  • Allow pastry to cool before unmolding.
  • Top with lemon cream and chill until firm.
  • Poach the Italian meringue and lightly flashlight.

😋 When lemon rhymes with tasting

Our favorite thing about lemon tart? Tasting it! Menton, Riviera & Merveilles has plenty of places where you can get it.

💛 Mitron Bakery (Menton)

For one of the best lemon tarts in Menton, head to Mitron Bakery! Here, it’s also an opportunity to indulge in the house’s other tangy specialties, like the famous Menton lemon panettone around Christmas (crowned champion of France 2021 in the “creative” category!).

📍 Mitron Bakery

8 Rue Pieta
06500 Menton

Or Mitron Bakery at Marché des Halles Municipales de Menton from Tuesday to Sunday, 8am to 1pm.

💛 Le Saint-Yves restaurant (Sainte-Agnès)

A warm room, a rustic atmosphere, a breathtaking view of the Mediterranean from Europe’s highest coastal village… At Le Saint-Yves, you can also savor authenticity! And to finish your meal in style? Let yourself be tempted by a delicious Menton lemon tart for dessert!

📍Le Saint-Yves

76 Rue des Sarrazins
06500 Sainte-Agnès

Frequently asked questions about Menton lemon tart

  • What type of pastry is used to make lemon tart?

    Lemon tarts are traditionally made with a sweet pastry, a soft, crumbly base that enhances the lemon cream while adding a slightly crunchy texture. This pastry is made from simple ingredients such as butter, sugar, egg yolks, flour, and sometimes a pinch of salt or lemon zest to enhance the flavors. Some pastry chefs also opt for shortcrust pastry for an even more melt-in-the-mouth texture.

  • What types of meringues can be used for lemon tart?

    There are three types of meringue for lemon tarts. French meringue, light and airy, is easy to make but less stable. Italian meringue is firmer and glossier, thanks to the sugar syrup, offering greater stability. Finally, Swiss meringue, prepared by heating egg whites and sugar in a bain-marie, is dense and stable, ideal for decorations.

  • Where does lemon tart come from?

    The origins of lemon tart probably date back to antiquity, when lemons were introduced to Europe by the Arabs. However, the modern version of lemon tart, with tangy cream on pastry, took shape in France or England in the 18th century. Meringue, which often tops the tart, was added in the 19th century, notably by European pastry chefs, creating the version we know today, with a perfect balance between acidity and sweetness.

  • What are the main ingredients in lemon tart?

    The main ingredients of a lemon tart are shortcrust (or sometimes shortcrust) pastry for the base, a lemon cream made from lemon juice, sugar, eggs and butter, and finally, a meringue that can cover the tart, usually made from egg whites and sugar.

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