Lemon Curd Tartlets
Happy Thursday, friends! How on earth are you? Has this week felt as busy for you as it has for us? I feel like we’ve been going going going and there’s still so much on my to-do list, namely grocery shopping and laundry – but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. As promised, I’m here to bring you a new bright & shiny lemony dessert: Lemon Curd Tartlets. Eight beautiful single serving dessert tartlets, filled to the brim with lemon curd and topped with a cute quenelle of lightly whipped cream. I’m having a moment with single serving desserts – cough, S’mores Baked Alaska, cough – and I think it’s mostly because they’re so dang cute! By the end of the summer I’m sure I’ll have you converted to the single serving side, too 😉
Can I tell you about these tartlets?
what are lemon curd tartlets
Okay, there are ultimately only two main components to these lemon curd tartlets, with an optional third. Let me talk you through it:
• pâté sucrée base. Pâté sucrée is a sweet and crumbly French pastry that elevates any bake to the next level. My recipe comes together in a stand mixer, and after a brief stint in the fridge, is ready to roll! It has a high percentage of butter, so the end results are perfectly luxurious and crumbly in all the right ways.
• lemon curd filling. I really wanted to utilize the dreamy lemon curd that I shared last month because it’s literally amazing! It’s lemony, buttery, and silky smooth. The contrast of the zingy lemon curd with the buttery pâté sucrée is *chef’s kiss*!
• whipped cream quenelle. I wanted to keep these tarts stupid simple, and I didn’t want a topping detracting from the lemon flavour – enter: whipped cream! Obviously this is optional – the tarts would be amazing without any topping, but I’m a more is more kind of gal. I’m trying to practice my quenelle-ing at the moment, but you could just dollop it on top or pipe if you’d like. A quenelle is a three sided oval/egg shape that makes everything look 100% fancier than it really is, and I’m currently obsessed with perfecting my technique. If you are also looking to practice your quenelle technique, I found this video very helpful.
how to make lemon curd tartlets
Sadly, I didn’t get to take photos of the making of these lemon curd tartlets, but let me explain the process to you. Ready?
• firstly, make your lemon curd. I went with my Dreamy Lemon Curd, but you can use a different recipe or even store-bought! Just make sure to give the curd a good 3 hours to chill + set before making these tartlets!
• make the pâté sucrée. If you need help with this, there’s a step-by-step photo guide for making pâté sucrée over on my Lemon Cream Tart post. Once you’ve made the dough, it needs to chill for at least 20-minutes before being rolled out, but the longer the better.
• when thoroughly chilled, roll the dough out to a thickness of between 2-4mm and line 8 small tart rings. I used these tart rings, and followed this amazing guide about lining them properly – without the hassle of using baking beans.
• bake the tartlets until deeply golden brown – about 25-minutes – before brushing with any leftover egg and returning to the oven for another 5-minutes. This is an extra step, but it ‘seals’ the pastry off against any potential sogginess from the filling.
• when the tart shells are cool, generously fill each one with lemon curd and smooth the tops. I was able to fit about two and a half tablespoons of curd in each of mine. Transfer to the fridge until the curd has set, about 2-hours.
• remove the tartlets from the fridge around 20-minutes before serving, and top with a quenelle of lightly whipped cream. Enjoy!
It seems like a lot of steps, but it’s mostly a lot of waiting around for things to chill down properly. I just know you’re going to love them!
Happy baking! xo
Lemon Curd Tartlets
INGREDIENTS
for the pate sucree / pastry
- 112.5 g salted butter, soft
- 50 g icing sugar, sifted
- 1/4 lemon, zested
- 30 g egg yolks, with any spare + whites kept aside
- 175 g plain flour
for the filling
- lemon curd
to serve
- lightly whipped cream, optional
DIRECTIONS
for the pate sucree / pastry
- In a bowl with an electric whisk – or a stand mixer – cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest until fluffy, about 1-2-minutes.
- Add the egg yolks into the batter and beat to combine fully. Add the flour & beat until a dough forms. Use your hands to form it into a disc shape, squeezing any loose crumbs together, and wrap it tightly in a layer of cling film. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least 20-minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Set eight 3-inch tart rings on a baking tray lined with parchment paper; set aside. My tart rings are 3-inches wide and 1-inch high, but alter the below measurements to fit your rings.
- Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, to between 2-4mm thick, turning the pastry often. Use a ruler to cut eight strips of dough 1-inch wide. Working quickly, line the sides of the tart rings with the strips of dough. Once the sides are lined, press the tart rings into the uncut pastry to line the bottom. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges of the pastry. If you need a more visual aid for this technique, check out this guide. Pop the rings + baking tray into the freezer for 20-minutes or until very cold.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25-minutes, or until deep golden brown all over. Leave to cool for 5-minutes before brushing with the remaining egg measurement and returning to the oven for a further 4-minutes. Leave to cool completely.
for the filling
- Generously spoon lemon curd into the cooled tart shells until it reaches the lip of the sides – this was about 2.5 tablespoons worth for me. Smooth the top of the curd with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Repeat with the remaining tarts before placing in the fridge until the curd has set, about 2-3 hours.
to serve
- Remove the tarts from the fridge 20-minnutes before you plan to serve them. Top each tartlet with a dollop of lightly whipped cream. Enjoy!
NOTES
- I used Homemade Lemon Curd for these tartlets, but store-bought would work either.
- these tart rings are very similar to mine.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Please leave a comment & a rating below, or tag me on Instagram @imvcki. Thank you so much for supporting Passionate Baker!
related posts
Dreamy Lemon Curd
Lemon Cream Tart
Lemon & Blueberry Heart Pies
Cardamom Strawberry & Apple Mini Pies
I made these last weekend and they w ere loved by my whole family! I especially liked how short the pastry was. Delicious!
These were lemonicious, thank you!