Buttery Crisp Lemon Tartlets (Printable Version)
Crisp, buttery shells filled with tangy lemon curd offer a refreshing, light dessert or snack.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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
# Step-by-Step:
01 - In a mixing bowl, blend flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Incorporate the cold butter using fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
02 - Add egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water. Gently mix until the dough holds together, adding more water if necessary.
03 - Shape dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut circles approximately 3 inches in diameter and press into tartlet pans. Trim edges and prick bottoms with a fork.
05 - Line shells with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 8 minutes more until golden. Cool completely.
06 - In a heatproof bowl, combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Place over simmering water and whisk continuously until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
07 - Remove from heat and whisk in cubed butter until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
08 - Spoon or pipe lemon curd into cooled shells evenly.
09 - Refrigerate tartlets for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. Garnish as desired with fresh berries, powdered sugar, or lemon slices.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The shells stay crisp for hours, no soggy bottoms or regrets.
- Lemon curd that tastes like summer, even when it's freezing outside.
- You can make them ahead and still look like you spent all day in the kitchen.
02 -
- The curd will look barely thickened when you pull it off the heat, but it keeps thickening as it cools—patience here prevents scrambled eggs.
- If your shells start to brown too quickly on the edges, drape a small piece of foil over them without covering the bottom.
03 -
- Keep everything cold—cold dough, cold water, cold butter—and your shells will shatter in the best way possible.
- Zest your lemon before you juice it, because zesting a juiced lemon is nearly impossible and sad.