I Make This Easy 3-Ingredient Dessert Every Easter

Easter is one of my favorite holidays because it usually falls close to my birthday. As a child, the pastel eggs and vibrant spring florals always signified that the Easter bunny was on his way and that I was about to turn a year older.

Since I’m a little too old to hunt for eggs these days, Easter brunch is the main holiday event at my house. I’m always looking for simple recipes with minimal ingredients and a major wow factor to create an inviting holiday table. And when it comes to easy, impressive desserts, this easy lemon curd tart really delivers.

Not only does this recipe require just three ingredients, it’s done in four steps. Score the pastry, brush it with beaten egg, bake, and spread on some lemon curd. Done! It makes a great dessert or addition to your Easter brunch table. It looks fancy and tastes like something you’d get at a fancy French bakery.

If I want to take it up a notch, I top it with freshly made whipped cream, which complements the bright lemon flavor really well. It’s also delicious topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar or dollops of Swiss meringue. However, the star of the show is the flaky, crisp puff pastry. It’s the perfect buttery base for the delicate spring flavors of the lemon curd.

Key Ingredients for This Tart

• Puff Pastry: Just like Ina Garten taught me, it’s okay not to make everything from scratch. And because of the hours-long process of making it by hand, puff pastry is at the top of my list of items I always prefer to buy pre-made. My grocer carries a few types of puff pastry in the freezer section, but the one that always gets my vote is Pepperidge Farm. It has never failed me.
• Lemon Curd: Most grocers carry one or two brands of lemon curd. I prefer mine on the creamy side, so I always look for Bonne Maman. If you want to test out your patisserie skills, try your hand at homemade lemon curd. I make homemade lemon curd a couple of times a year—it’s impressive and fun, but I almost always use store-bought for this recipe.

Making This Tart Ahead

This easy lemon curd tart can be made a day or two ahead, making planning the holiday table so much easier. The tart will stay fresh stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to two days.

How To Make My Easy 3-Ingredient Lemon Curd Tart

For nine servings, you’ll need:

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Gently unfold the thawed sheet of puff pastry onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure not to tear it. Use a knife to score a 1-inch border around the edge of the pastry, without cutting all the way through.

Whisk the egg with the water to create an egg wash. Use a pastry brush to coat just the edges of the scored pastry with the egg wash. Be sure the entire border is coated, but don’t wash the middle. 

Bake until the pastry is deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, or according to the package instructions. 

When you pull the pastry out of the oven, it will have puffed up a lot in the middle—that’s okay! Use a spoon to press down the center of the pastry inside the border to create a flatter surface. While the pastry is still warm, add the lemon curd to the flattened area of the pastry. Let cool for at least 1 hour. 

Cut the cooled tart into nine squares and top each square with a dollop of whipped cream, if using. If you’re making this ahead of time, don’t add the whipped cream until just before serving.

Store leftovers in single layers in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. They’ll stay fresh on the counter for two days or in the freezer for up to a month. Just set them on the counter to thaw in their container until they reach room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.