I perfected Mini Lemon Tartlets with a surprisingly simple lemon curd and a neat trick for flawless shells so you can recreate them with ease.

Jump to Recipe

I can’t stop making Meyer Lemon Tartlets With Lemon Curd. These Mini Lemon Tartlets look delicate but they explode with bright, almost floral citrus, the kind that makes you pause mid-bite.

I love how flaky shells made from all-purpose flour cradle the silky curd made with Meyer lemon juice, the tart and sweet balance is unreal. I brought them to a weekend brunch and people kept asking for the recipe, even my picky aunt.

There’s something both fancy and a little cheeky about them, they’re perfect for a party, and honestly I think you’ll fall for them hard.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

All purpose flour builds the crust, mostly carbs, small protein, gives tender bite.
Cold unsalted butter makes dough flaky and rich, mostly saturated fats, ultra tasty.
Meyer lemon juice and zest give floral, sweet citrus notes, less tart than regular.
Whole eggs and yolks thicken curd, add silkiness and protein, help it set.
Sugar sweetens and stabilizes the curd, balances lemon sourness, creates glossy texture.
Optional dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche lightens tarts, adds creamy tang.

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg yolk

2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

3/4 cup (180 ml) Meyer lemon juice, strained (about 4 to 5 lemons)

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

3 large eggs

6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Whipped cream or crème fraîche for serving, optional

Extra lemon zest or thin lemon slices for garnish, optional

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Make the pastry: in a bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, cut 1/2 cup cold cubed butter into the dry mix until it looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized pieces, then add 1 large egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, mix until it just comes together (add the extra tablespoon water only if needed). Form into a disk, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.

2. Shape the tartlets: roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick, cut rounds to fit your tartlet pans, press into the pans, trim edges and gently prick the bottoms with a fork. Pop them back in the fridge 20 to 30 minutes so they keep their shape.

3. Blind bake the shells: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line each shell with parchment and pie weights or dried beans, bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden, remove weights and parchment and bake another 3 to 5 minutes if bottoms look soggy. Let cool on a rack.

4. Prep the lemons: zest two Meyer lemons and strain about 3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons) to remove seeds and pulp.

5. Mix the curd base: in a medium bowl whisk together the 3/4 cup lemon juice, the zest, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the 3 large eggs until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

6. Cook the lemon curd: pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan over low to medium-low heat (or use a double boiler), whisk constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes, or until it reaches roughly 170°F (77°C). Remove from heat.

7. Finish and strain: whisk in the 6 tablespoons butter, a few pieces at a time, until glossy and smooth. Immediately strain the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl to catch any cooked egg bits, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to stop a skin forming, let cool to room temp then chill until firm.

8. Assemble: spoon or pipe the chilled lemon curd into the prebaked tartlet shells, smoothing the tops. Chill the filled tartlets for at least 1 hour so the curd sets up properly.

9. Serve and garnish: dust with powdered sugar if you like, add a small dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche and a little extra lemon zest or a thin lemon slice for prettiness. Tip: keep everything cold while you work, use frozen pie weights or dried beans, and strain the curd for the silkiest texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl, for the pastry and the lemon curd
2. Pastry cutter or food processor to cut cold butter into the flour, or two knives if you dont have one
3. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface, plus a bench scraper to lift rounds into pans
4. Tartlet pans or small tart tins and a baking sheet to bake them on
5. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
6. Heavy-bottomed saucepan or a double boiler and an instant-read thermometer to check about 170°F
7. Whisk and a heatproof spatula for stirring and finishing the curd
8. Fine-mesh sieve, plastic wrap (to press on the curd) and a cooling rack for resting the shells and curd

FAQ

Q: Can I use regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons? A: Yes. Regular lemons are brighter and more tart, so either use a little less juice (try 2/3 cup instead of 3/4) or add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra sugar to balance the acidity. Also add a bit more zest if you want that fragrant note Meyers give.

Q: How do I keep the tart shells from getting soggy? A: Blind bake the shells until golden using pie weights or dried beans, chill the dough before baking, and prick the base lightly. For an extra seal brush the cooled shells with a thin layer of beaten egg white and pop back in the oven 2 to 3 minutes. Freeze shells 10 minutes before baking to reduce shrinking.

Q: How can I tell when the lemon curd is done? A: It should coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear line when you run your finger through, or reach about 170 to 175 F on an instant thermometer. If you're baking the filled tartlets, they should wobble slightly in the center and set as they cool.

Q: Do I have to bake the curd in the shells or can I make it on the stove? A: You can do either. For stovetop curd, whisk eggs, sugar and lemon, cook gently while stirring until thick, strain and stir in butter. Pour into pre-baked shells once cool. Tip, cook low and slow or use a bain marie to avoid curdling.

Q: My curd turned grainy or I see little cooked egg bits. How fix or prevent that? A: Graininess means overcooked eggs or too much heat. Strain the curd through a fine sieve to remove bits. To prevent it, temper the eggs by slowly adding hot lemon mix while whisking, cook over low heat, and whisk constantly. If it slightly curdled, try whisking off the heat while adding small pieces of cold butter to smooth it.

Q: Can I make these ahead and how do I store them? A: Yes. Store cooked lemon curd in an airtight jar in the fridge up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months. Tart shells keep in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, but assemble right before serving to avoid sogginess. For best results, fill shells a few hours ahead and chill.

Meyer Lemon Tartlets With Lemon Curd Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups / 150 g): swap with pastry flour 1:1 for an even more tender crust. If you need gluten free, use a cup for cup GF blend and add about 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per 150 g so the dough holds together better.
Powdered sugar (1/4 cup / 30 g): if you dont have any, blitz granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until very fine, about 30 to 60 seconds. Use the same volume and, if you want the anti-caking effect, stir in a scant 1/4 tsp cornstarch per 1/4 cup.
Cold unsalted butter (1/2 cup / 113 g for crust, 6 tbsp / 85 g for curd): you can use chilled salted butter instead, just cut back the added salt in the dough by about 1/4 tsp. For dairy-free, use a firm, stick-style vegan butter in the same weight and keep it cold for the same flaky result.
Meyer lemon juice (3/4 cup / ~4-5 lemons): regular lemons work fine, same volume. To get that slightly sweeter Meyer vibe, mix 2/3 lemon juice with 1/3 fresh orange juice or add 1 to 2 tsp extra sugar to the curd. Bottled juice is ok in a pinch, but add a little extra zest for brightness.

Pro Tips

1) Keep the dough cold and give it time to relax. Work quickly, chill the disk at least an hour, and after cutting shells pop them in the fridge or even the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before blind baking. That really helps prevent the walls from shrinking and keeps nice crisp edges.

2) Seal soggy bottoms fast. After you pull out the weights, brush the inside of each shell with a thin layer of beaten egg white and return to the oven for a few minutes until set. It makes a simple moisture barrier so the curd wont make the crust limp.

3) Cook the curd slow and watch the temp. Use a heavy pan or a double boiler, whisk constantly, and pull it off the heat around 170°F (77°C). Add the butter a few pieces at a time and use room temp butter if you can so it emulsifies smoothly. If the curd ever looks grainy or a bit curdled, don’t freak out — blend it with an immersion blender or push it through a fine sieve and it’ll come back together.

4) Make ahead and tweak sweetness. Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons so taste the curd before you chill it and cut 1 tablespoon or two of sugar if needed. The curd keeps great in the fridge for a few days, so you can make it ahead, strain it, press plastic on the surface and chill, then fill the shells just before serving for the best texture.

Meyer Lemon Tartlets With Lemon Curd Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected Mini Lemon Tartlets with a surprisingly simple lemon curd and a neat trick for flawless shells so you can recreate them with ease.

Servings

servings

Calories

335

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl, for the pastry and the lemon curd
2. Pastry cutter or food processor to cut cold butter into the flour, or two knives if you dont have one
3. Rolling pin and a lightly floured surface, plus a bench scraper to lift rounds into pans
4. Tartlet pans or small tart tins and a baking sheet to bake them on
5. Parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans for blind baking
6. Heavy-bottomed saucepan or a double boiler and an instant-read thermometer to check about 170°F
7. Whisk and a heatproof spatula for stirring and finishing the curd
8. Fine-mesh sieve, plastic wrap (to press on the curd) and a cooling rack for resting the shells and curd

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg yolk
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
3/4 cup (180 ml) Meyer lemon juice, strained (about 4 to 5 lemons)
Zest of 2 Meyer lemons
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Powdered sugar for dusting, optional
Whipped cream or crème fraîche for serving, optional
Extra lemon zest or thin lemon slices for garnish, optional

Directions

Make the pastry: in a bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, cut 1/2 cup cold cubed butter into the dry mix until it looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized pieces, then add 1 large egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water, mix until it just comes together (add the extra tablespoon water only if needed). Form into a disk, wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Shape the tartlets: roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick, cut rounds to fit your tartlet pans, press into the pans, trim edges and gently prick the bottoms with a fork. Pop them back in the fridge 20 to 30 minutes so they keep their shape.
Blind bake the shells: preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line each shell with parchment and pie weights or dried beans, bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden, remove weights and parchment and bake another 3 to 5 minutes if bottoms look soggy. Let cool on a rack.
Prep the lemons: zest two Meyer lemons and strain about 3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons) to remove seeds and pulp.
Mix the curd base: in a medium bowl whisk together the 3/4 cup lemon juice, the zest, 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the 3 large eggs until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Cook the lemon curd: pour the mixture into a heavy saucepan over low to medium-low heat (or use a double boiler), whisk constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes, or until it reaches roughly 170°F (77°C). Remove from heat.
Finish and strain: whisk in the 6 tablespoons butter, a few pieces at a time, until glossy and smooth. Immediately strain the curd through a fine sieve into a bowl to catch any cooked egg bits, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to stop a skin forming, let cool to room temp then chill until firm.
Assemble: spoon or pipe the chilled lemon curd into the prebaked tartlet shells, smoothing the tops. Chill the filled tartlets for at least 1 hour so the curd sets up properly.
Serve and garnish: dust with powdered sugar if you like, add a small dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche and a little extra lemon zest or a thin lemon slice for prettiness. Tip: keep everything cold while you work, use frozen pie weights or dried beans, and strain the curd for the silkiest texture.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.