Description
These miniature tarts feature a buttery, flaky shortbread crust filled with a vibrant, intensely flavored homemade lemon curd. They are a perfect balance of sweet and tart, ideal for a special occasion, tea party, or a bright individual dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Shortbread Tartlet Shells:
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 1 large egg yolk, cold
- 1–2 tablespoons ice water (as needed)
- For the Lemon Curd:
- ¾ cup (180ml) fresh lemon juice (from 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1–2 lemons, avoid white pith)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 large whole eggs
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Optional Garnish:
- Fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries)
- Dusting of powdered sugar
- Meringue (for a Lemon Meringue Tartlet variation)
- Small sprigs of fresh mint
Instructions
- I. Make the Shortbread Tartlet Shells:
- **Combine Dry Ingredients:** In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt.
- **Cut in Butter:** Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- **Add Egg Yolk & Water:** Add the cold egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of ice water. Mix until the dough just comes together. If it’s too dry, add the second tablespoon of ice water, a teaspoon at a time, until it forms a cohesive dough. Do not overmix.
- **Chill Dough:** Gather the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days).
- **Prepare Tartlet Pans:** Lightly grease a mini muffin tin or individual tartlet pans (fluted or plain, 2-3 inch diameter).
- **Form Shells:** On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter slightly larger than your tartlet molds to cut out circles. Gently press each circle into a tartlet mold, pressing firmly against the bottom and sides. Alternatively, divide the chilled dough into small, equal portions and press each portion directly into the molds.
- **Blind Bake (Crucial for preventing soggy bottoms!):** Prick the bottom of each tartlet shell several times with a fork. Line each shell with a small piece of parchment paper or foil, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or rice. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from oven, carefully lift out the parchment/weights, and continue baking for another 5-7 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust looks dry and lightly golden. Remove shells from oven and let them cool completely in the pans before gently removing.
- II. Make the Lemon Curd:
- **Prepare Double Boiler:** Fill a saucepan with about 1-2 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Place a heatproof bowl (glass or stainless steel) over the simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- **Combine Ingredients:** In the heatproof bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sugar, egg yolks, and whole eggs until well combined and slightly pale.
- **Cook Curd:** Continue to whisk constantly over the simmering water. As it heats, the mixture will thicken. This can take 10-15 minutes. The curd is done when it coats the back of a spoon thickly and reaches about 175°F (79°C) on an instant-read thermometer. **Do not boil or the eggs will scramble.**
- **Add Butter & Strain:** Remove the bowl from the heat. Add the cold butter pieces, one at a time, whisking until each piece is fully melted and incorporated. The curd will become smooth and glossy. For an extra smooth curd, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
- **Chill Curd:** Cover the surface of the lemon curd directly with plastic wrap (this prevents a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and thickened.
- III. Assemble and Serve:
- **Fill Tartlet Shells:** Once the tartlet shells are completely cool and the lemon curd is chilled and firm, spoon or pipe the lemon curd into each tartlet shell. Fill them almost to the brim.
- **Chill Again:** Refrigerate the assembled tartlets for at least 30 minutes, or until the curd is fully set.
- **Garnish and Serve:** Just before serving, garnish with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a small sprig of mint.
Notes
- **Lemon Quality:** Use fresh lemons for the best flavor. Zest before juicing.
- **Preventing Soggy Crusts:** Blind baking the crust until it’s fully dry and golden is the most critical step. For extra protection, you can brush the warm, blind-baked shells lightly with a beaten egg white and return to the oven for 1-2 minutes until set.
- **Curd Consistency:** The curd will thicken significantly as it cools. Don’t worry if it seems a bit thin when warm.
- **Storage:** Store finished lemon curd tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Unfilled tartlet shells can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for longer. Lemon curd can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- **Variations:** For Lemon Meringue Tartlets, pipe meringue onto the filled tartlets and briefly torch with a kitchen torch or bake under a broiler until lightly browned.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tartlet (approx. 50-70g)
- Calories: 200-300 (varies based on size and ingredients)
- Sugar: 20-30g
- Sodium: 50-100mg
- Fat: 12-20g
- Saturated Fat: 7-12g
- Unsaturated Fat: N/A
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20-35g
- Fiber: 0-1g
- Protein: 3-5g
- Cholesterol: 70-120mg
Keywords: Lemon Curd, Tartlets, Mini Tarts, Shortbread, Dessert, Baking, Sweet and Tart, Individual Desserts