JOSEPH DE LEO

13 Sweet-Tart Lemon Desserts

When life give you lemons, make custards, cakes, and cookies

Published on May 4, 2016

Lemon Bars on Crumbly Shortbread

Lemon Bars

Lemon bars are a light, brightly-flavored dessert, best served with a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar. Get the recipe for Lemon Bars »

Lemon Custard Tart

Use leftover dough from the butter crust of this creamy lemon custard pastry to make decorative cookies to adorn the outside.

Lemon Layer Cake

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Lemon Layer Cake

Lemon infuses this layered masterpiece in three ways: zested into the batter, in a tart syrup that get drizzled over the cakes, and in a thick lemon curd frosting.

Shaker Lemon Pie

With its flaky, buttery crust and marmalade-like citrus filling, not a crumb of this sunny lemon pie will be left on the dessert board. Get the recipe for Shaker Lemon Pie »

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A back-of-the-box recipe for lemon icebox pie gets a gourmet upgrade with real whipped cream, lemon simple syrup, vanilla shortbread, and homemade candied lemon peel scattered over the top—it's a lovely dessert for a special occasion. Get the recipe for Lemon Icebox Pie »

French Lemon Tart

The crust for this simple, jammy lemon tart is very flaky. If you have dough left over after rolling out the shell, use it to make a crisscross pattern over the top. Get the recipe for French Lemon Tart »

The Best Damn Meyer Lemon Cake

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Lemon extract, juice, and zest permeate a rich and moist loaf to create what really is is the best damn lemon cake we've ever had. Get the recipe for The Best Damn Meyer Lemon Cake »

Lemon-Glazed Persimmon Bars

Sweetened with ripe persimmons and dates, and coated with a tart, toothsome, lemon-sugar glaze, these bars are a wonderful celebration of late-fall fruits. Get the recipe for Lemon-Glazed Persimmon Bars »

Lemon Soufflé

There is something about a souffle—a magical blending of eggs, air, and acid—that turns any meal into an unforgettable event. Get the recipe for Lemon Soufflé »

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Corsican Lemon Mousse

This rich, silky mousse brightened with tangy lemons makes an elegant end to a meal.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

The nutty flavor of poppy seeds is complemented by a generous hit of fresh lemon zest in this quintessential muffin recipe. Get the recipe for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins »