Description
A recipe for making small, zesty lemon curd tarts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons ice water
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Make the tart shells: Combine flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and ice water until a dough forms. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough and press it into 6 small tartlet pans. Prick the bottoms with a fork. Chill for another 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line the tart shells with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper and bake for 5 more minutes until lightly golden. Let cool.
- Make the lemon curd: Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler). Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until fully melted and incorporated.
- Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Fill the cooled tart shells with the chilled lemon curd. Serve cold.
Notes
- You can use store-bought shortcrust pastry if you prefer to skip making the dough.
- For a smoother curd, ensure you whisk continuously while cooking over the double boiler.
- Prep Time: 45 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking and Double Boiler
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tartlet
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 120
Keywords: lemon curd, tartlets, lemon dessert, pastry, citrus