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Lemon Curd Tartlets

17/11/2023

Lemon curd tartlets are little delights that combine a crunchy shortcrust base with a creamy and citrusy lemon curd filling. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients

  • 250 g of all-purpose flour
  • 125 g of cold butter, cubed
  • 125 g of icing sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 whole egg and 1 yolk (for the shortcrust pastry)
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the lemon curd:

  • 150 g of granulated sugar
  • 3 whole eggs
  • Juice of 3 lemons (about 120 ml)
  • Grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 75 g of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

  1. Start with the shortcrust pastry: mix the flour with the icing sugar and salt. Add the cold butter, cubed, and quickly work the mixture with your fingertips until it becomes sandy.
  2. Add the egg and yolk, and grated lemon zest, then work the dough as little as possible until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a thin layer and line tartlet molds, previously greased. Place a piece of baking paper and some dry beans on top of each tartlet to prevent the base from puffing up during baking.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 10-15 minutes, until the bases are golden. Remove the paper and beans and let cool completely.
  5. For the lemon curd, in a saucepan, whisk the eggs with the sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Add a pinch of salt.
  6. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the cream thickens and coats the back of a spoon, which will take about 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the heat and add the butter a little at a time, stirring until it’s completely melted and incorporated.
  8. Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps and zest.
  9. Pour the still warm lemon curd into the cooled shortcrust bases and let cool completely.
  10. Before serving, you can garnish the tartlets with a dusting of icing sugar or with thin slices of lemon.

Curiosity

Lemon curd is a typical English cream, but it lends itself perfectly to being reinterpreted with an Italian touch, for example by adding a bit of limoncello or decorating with aromatic herbs such as basil or mint for a fresh and surprising flavor contrast.

Lemon Curd Tartlets