Lemon Tartlets with Creamy Filling Made Simple
Mini lemon tartlets with creamy filling give you bright citrus flavor in bite-size form, with a buttery crust that stays crisp under a smooth, tangy custard.
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Pastry cutter (optional)
- Rolling Pin
- 3-inch (8 cm) tartlet tins
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights, dry beans, or rice
- Cooling rack
- Fork
- Small knife
- Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
For the sweet tartlet crust
- 160 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 115 g unsalted butter cool and cut in small cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1–2 tbsp cold heavy cream or milk as needed to bring the dough together
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest optional
For the creamy lemon filling
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 120 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice about 3–4 medium lemons
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 120 ml heavy cream
- 60 g unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
For topping (optional but recommended)
- 120 ml cold heavy cream
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- fresh berries or thin lemon slices optional, to garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt until no lumps of sugar remain.
- Add the cool cubed butter. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter.
- Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of cold cream or milk, then drizzle it over the flour mixture. Add the lemon zest if using.
- Use a fork to toss everything together, then switch to your hands and gently press the mixture until it starts to clump. If it’s still dry and sandy after a minute, add up to 1 more tablespoon cold cream, a few drops at a time.
- Tip the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it into a flat disk about 2–3 cm (1 inch) thick. Wrap tightly and chill for at least 45 minutes, or up to 2 days.
- When the dough is firm, remove it from the fridge and let it rest on the counter for about 5–10 minutes so it softens slightly.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough to about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thickness, rotating and flouring lightly as needed to prevent sticking.
- Cut circles slightly larger than your tartlet tins (8–9 cm / 3–3.5 inches). Gently ease each circle into a tartlet tin, pressing the dough into the corners and up the sides without stretching it.
- Trim excess dough with a small knife, then prick the bottoms several times with a fork.
- Place the lined tins on a baking sheet and chill or freeze for 15–20 minutes while you heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Cut small squares of baking parchment to fit inside each tart shell, then fill them with pie weights, dry beans, or rice.
- Blind bake the shells for 12–14 minutes, until the edges just start to turn light golden.
- Carefully lift out the parchment and weights. Return the shells to the oven for another 6–8 minutes, until the centers look dry and the crust is an even pale gold.
- Let the tartlet shells cool completely on a rack. Leave them in their tins for now; they’re easier to fill this way.
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (off the heat), whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and salt until the mixture is smooth and slightly lightened.
- Whisk in the lemon juice and zest.
- Set the pan over low to medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches about 75–80°C / 170–175°F (6–10 minutes).
- Once thickened, remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter pieces, a few at a time, until fully melted and the mixture is glossy.
- Whisk in the heavy cream until fully combined and silky.
- Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to catch any bits of cooked egg or zest.
- Once the tart shells are completely cool, arrange them on the baking sheet.
- Pour or spoon the warm lemon cream into each shell, filling almost to the top.
- Tap the baking sheet gently on the counter to release any air bubbles and level the tops.
- Chill the filled tartlets, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, or until the filling is softly set and no longer wobbly in the center when you nudge the tin.
- Just before serving, whip the cold heavy cream and powdered sugar together to soft or medium peaks.
- Carefully remove the tartlets from their tins.
- Pipe or spoon a small dollop of whipped cream on each tartlet. Add fresh berries or a very thin slice of lemon if you like.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3.5gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1.1mg
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