Lemon Tartlets Bright Curd (Printable)
Buttery crusts with vibrant lemon curd make a bright, crisp, and satisfying dessert option.
# What's Needed:
→ Tartlet Shells
01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Lemon Curd
07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 to 3 lemons)
10 - 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
→ Optional Garnish
12 - Fresh berries
13 - Powdered sugar
14 - Thin lemon slices
# How to Make It:
01 - In a bowl, mix together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Incorporate cold butter using fingertips or a pastry cutter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
02 - Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, mixing gently until dough begins to come together. Add more water if necessary.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll chilled dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.
05 - Cut dough into 3-inch circles and gently press into tartlet pans. Trim excess and prick bottoms with a fork.
06 - Line shells with parchment and fill with baking weights. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove weights and parchment and bake an additional 8 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.
07 - Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Stir constantly until thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
09 - Spoon or pipe lemon curd into cooled tartlet shells.
10 - Refrigerate filled tartlets for at least 30 minutes. Garnish as desired before serving.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- The shells stay genuinely crisp for hours, not soft or soggy like so many others turn out to be.
- Homemade lemon curd tastes nothing like the jar version—bright, tangy, and silky in ways store-bought never quite captures.
- They look elegant enough to impress but honest enough to feel homemade, which somehow matters more.
02 -
- The butter in the pastry must stay cold—work fast with your hands and chill between steps if your kitchen is warm, otherwise the crust turns tough instead of flaky.
- Don't skip blind-baking; it's the only way to get shells that stay crisp and don't turn soggy from the wet curd.
- Lemon curd can break if the heat is too high or you stop whisking—keep the water barely simmering and whisk without pause.
03 -
- If you don't have tartlet pans, this dough also works beautifully in mini muffin tins—slightly different shape but the same crispy result.
- Room-temperature curd will settle into the shells more smoothly than warm curd, which can soften the delicate pastry.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished tartlets right before serving adds one last bright note that people always notice.