French Lavender Yogurt Tart with Almonds and Granola

Name: French Lavender Yogurt Tart with Almonds and Granola
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature; ¼ tsp (1¼ g) salt; ½ tsp (2½ ml) vanilla extract; 1½ cups (360 ml) plain Greek yogurt, full-fat, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (3 g) dried culinary lavender buds, lightly crushed; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1¼ g) salt; 1 cup (120 g) granola; ½ cup (65 g) sliced almonds, lightly toasted; 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey; 1 tsp (1 g) dried culinary lavender buds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

An elegant French-inspired tart featuring a buttery almond shortbread crust filled with a delicate lavender-infused yogurt custard, topped with homemade granola and toasted almonds. The floral lavender, creamy yogurt, and crunchy topping create a sophisticated dessert that works equally well as a dinner party finale or a special breakfast treat. The contrast of textures—crisp crust, silky filling, and crunchy topping—makes this tart memorable.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 2 hr 10 min
Total: 3 hr 40 min
Makes: 1 tart (8 slices)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust
1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
¼ tsp (1.3 g) salt
½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
For the filling
1½ cups (360 ml) plain Greek yogurt, full-fat, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp (3 g) dried culinary lavender buds, lightly crushed
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1.3 g) salt
For the topping
1 cup (120 g) granola
½ cup (65 g) sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
1 tsp (1 g) dried culinary lavender buds (optional)

Equipment (13)

9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom
Medium mixing bowl
Small mixing bowls (2)
Pastry cutter, fork, or fingertips for mixing
Blender
Small saucepan
Fine-mesh sieve
Parchment paper
Pie weights or dried beans
Baking sheet
Wire cooling rack
Whisk
Digital instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Bring Greek yogurt, eggs, and heavy cream to room temperature (at least 1 hour ahead)
Use only food-grade culinary lavender; never fragrance or ornamental varieties which may contain pesticides
Have a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with removable bottom ready on your work surface
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) when you're ready to blind bake the crust
Note that much of the time is passive (chilling and cooling); plan your timing accordingly

1
Make the crust dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar_crust, and salt_crust.
- Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour with a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible (do not overmix or the crust will be tough).
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg_yolk and vanilla_crust.
- Add this mixture to the flour and stir just until a shaggy dough comes together.
- Transfer to the tart pan.
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Ready when: Dough comes together but is not overworked; you should still see small butter pieces
Tip: Keep butter very cold throughout mixing. If it warms up, chill your bowl and utensils before continuing
2
Shape and chill the crust
- Press the dough evenly into the 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom, working it up the sides to an even thickness of about 1/8 inch (3 mm).
- Use your thumb and fingers, or the bottom of a measuring cup, to create an even layer.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough is firm and cold to the touch
Tip: A cold crust is essential to prevent shrinkage. Do not skip this step
3
Blind bake the crustOven 375°F / 190°C
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Remove the chilled crust from the refrigerator and line it with parchment paper, then fill with pie weights or dried beans, pressing gently so they're distributed evenly.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Carefully remove the parchment and weights (the beans will be hot—use oven mitts).
- Return the crust to the oven and bake for another 3–4 minutes until it is light golden brown all over, especially on the sides and bottom.
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Ready when: Crust is light golden brown and feels firm when gently pressed at the sides
Tip: Don't skip blind baking—without it, the custard filling will soak into the dough and create a soggy bottom crust
4
Steep lavender in cream
- While the crust bakes, pour heavy_cream into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat just until it begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges—do not boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the dried_lavender in a small bowl and let it steep for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the lavender is submerged.
- After steeping, you can strain the lavender buds through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth filling, or leave them in for a more rustic, floral texture with visible petals.
- Set aside until needed (it's okay if it cools to room temperature).
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Ready when: Cream is hot and fragrant with lavender; lavender is fully infused after 10 minutes
Tip: Use only food-grade culinary lavender from a specialty food or baking supplier. Never use fragrance or ornamental lavender, which may be treated with pesticides
5
Blend the filling
- Pour the greek_yogurt, lavender-infused cream (strained or with buds), sugar_filling, eggs, vanilla_filling, and salt_filling into a blender.
- Blend on medium speed for 30–45 seconds, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides with a spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth, pale, and uniform in color.
- Be careful not to overblend—excess blending incorporates too much air, which can cause large bubbles and a grainy texture in the baked filling.
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Ready when: Filling is completely smooth and uniform; no lumps or streaks remain
Tip: Blend just until smooth—overblending incorporates excess air and creates an unpleasantly grainy baked texture
6
Fill and bake the tartOven 350°F / 175°C
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the blind-baked crust from the oven and place it on the oven rack.
- Slowly and carefully pour the smooth filling into the crust, filling it right to the top edge.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes.
- The filling is done when the edges are set and slightly puffed, but the center (about a 2-inch / 5 cm circle in the very middle) still jiggles very slightly when you gently tap the side of the pan.
- If using a thermometer, the set areas should read 160–165°F (71–74°C), while the very center may be a few degrees cooler.
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Ready when: Edges are set and puffy; center jiggles slightly when pan is gently tapped; set areas are 160–165°F (71–74°C)
Tip: Resist the urge to overbake. The filling will continue to set as it cools. Overbaked yogurt custard becomes grainy and may crack
7
Cool and chill the tart
- Remove the tart from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack.
- Let it cool to room temperature on the counter (about 30 minutes).
- Once cooled, transfer the entire tart pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours or until completely cold.
- The filling will continue to firm up as it chills.
- The tart is best served very cold.
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Ready when: Tart is completely cold to the touch; filling is fully set and no longer jiggles anywhere
Tip: Don't skip the chilling step. A properly chilled tart has the best texture, and the flavors develop more fully when cold
8
Toast the almonds (optional)Oven 325°F / 165°C
- If using raw sliced almonds, spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 7–8 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan halfway through, until they are light golden brown and fragrant.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.
- If using pre-toasted almonds from the store, skip this step.
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Ready when: Almonds are light golden brown and smell toasted and nutty
Tip: Watch the almonds carefully—they can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Start checking at 6 minutes
9
Top and serve
- Just before serving (ideally within 30 minutes), remove the tart from the refrigerator.
- Carefully remove the sides of the tart pan by setting it on a small drinking glass or can and gently lowering the ring down and away.
- Leave the tart on its removable base or slide it onto a serving plate.
- Generously scatter the granola over the top of the chilled filling.
- Arrange the toasted sliced_almonds on top.
- Drizzle lightly with honey, and if desired, sprinkle with the optional lavender_garnish.
- Serve immediately while the granola is still crispy.
- If the tart sits for more than 30 minutes before topping, the granola will soften from the humid filling.
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Ready when: Tart is beautifully assembled and ready to serve
Tip: Add the granola topping just before serving—if you top it too far ahead, the granola will absorb moisture and soften
10
Store leftovers
- Once served, leftover tart should be stored covered in the refrigerator (the granola will soften).
- Any remaining tart, without granola topping, keeps well for up to 2 days chilled.
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Tip: Do not freeze—the yogurt filling does not freeze well and will become watery when thawed

Good to know

Tips

Never use fragrance or ornamental lavender—only food-grade culinary lavender from a specialty food supplier. Fragrance lavender may be treated with pesticides and is unsafe to eat
Bring all dairy and eggs to room temperature before blending. Cold ingredients won't blend as smoothly and may result in lumps in the filling
Don't overbake the tart. A properly baked yogurt custard will still have a slight wobble in the very center when it comes out of the oven—it's more delicate than a traditional egg custard and will set fully as it cools
For a make-ahead tart, prepare everything except the granola topping up to 1 day ahead. Add the granola just before serving to keep it crispy. If granola sits on top for more than 30 minutes, it will soften from the humidity of the cold filling

Make ahead

The tart crust dough can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept wrapped in the refrigerator. The entire tart (crust + baked filling) can be made 1 day ahead; keep it covered in the refrigerator. For best results, add the granola and almond topping just before serving so it stays crispy. If you must assemble ahead, top the tart no more than 30 minutes before serving.

Storage & reheating

**Room temperature:** Up to 2 hours (without topping, as granola will soften quickly in the humid environment). **Refrigerator:** Covered, up to 2 days. Store without granola topping if keeping more than a few hours. **Freezer:** Not recommended—the yogurt filling becomes watery when thawed. **Reheating:** Serve cold directly from the refrigerator. If it has sat out and warmed up, return to the fridge for 20 minutes before serving for best texture.

Substitutions

plain Greek yogurt, full-fat → 1½ cups (360ml) plain whole milk yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Regular yogurt is thinner than Greek, so the cornstarch helps the filling set. Blend the cornstarch with the other ingredients for 1 minute to ensure it's fully incorporated
dried culinary lavender buds → 2 tablespoons (8g) finely grated lemon zest. This creates a bright, citrus version instead of floral. Add the zest directly to the blender with other filling ingredients; no steeping needed
granola → Crushed toasted nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios), panko breadcrumbs, or muesli. Any crunchy, slightly sweet topping works. Toast nuts lightly if using raw, and toss with a little honey and sugar for the best texture
sliced almonds → Toasted pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts. Any toasted nut will work. Toast raw nuts in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until fragrant, or use pre-toasted nuts