Lemon Curd Tartlets Delight (Printable)
Crisp pastry shells filled with silky, tangy lemon curd for a refreshing bite-sized treat.
# What's Needed:
→ Pastry
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1–2 tablespoons cold water
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Curd
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 large egg yolks
09 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
11 - 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup mini tart pan or muffin tin.
02 - In a bowl, mix flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and rub in until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
03 - Stir in egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water to form a dough, adding more water if needed. Knead lightly on floured surface until smooth. Wrap and chill 15 minutes.
04 - Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into 12 circles. Press circles into tartlet molds, trimming excess.
05 - Prick bases with fork. Chill 10 minutes. Line shells with parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake 12 minutes, remove beans and parchment, bake 5–7 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
06 - Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in heatproof bowl. Stir in lemon juice and zest.
07 - Set bowl over simmering water and cook, stirring constantly until thickened and coating the back of a spoon, about 8–10 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat, add butter cubes, and stir until smooth.
09 - Spoon or pipe lemon curd into cooled pastry shells. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- That first bite—the snap of pastry against your teeth followed by a wave of bright, tangy lemon—never gets old.
- They're elegant enough for guests but honest enough to eat straight from the fridge at midnight.
- The whole process teaches you something about patience and the rewards of small, careful work.
02 -
- Scrambled eggs are waiting if you rush the curd; low heat and patience are the difference between silky and grainy.
- Cold butter in cold pastry is everything—let it warm up and you're making something closer to a cookie.
- Fresh lemon juice transforms this from pleasant to craveable; there's no shortcut here that won't show.
03 -
- If your kitchen is warm, work quickly with pastry and keep everything in the freezer rather than the refrigerator—those extra 15 degrees matter.
- Make the lemon curd while your shells cool; the timing works out beautifully and keeps you in the flow of cooking.