Laura Mariano
Mini Lemon Tarts are delightful, bite-sized desserts that feature a tangy lemon filling encased in a crisp, buttery tart shell. Here’s a basic recipe to make Mini Lemon Tarts:
Ingredients:
For the Tart Shells:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
1-2 tablespoons cold water
For the Lemon Filling:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
Zest of 1 lemon
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Garnish (optional):
Powdered sugar
Fresh berries or mint leaves
Instructions:
1. Make the Tart Shells:
In a food processor or by hand, mix together the flour and sugar.
Add the cold cubed butter and pulse (or cut in using a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time, pulsing (or mixing) until the dough comes together into a ball. Add more water if needed.
Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick.
Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles slightly larger than the size of your mini muffin tin cups.
Gently press each circle into the mini muffin tin cups to form tart shells. Prick the bottoms with a fork.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tart shells are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely in the tin.
2. Make the Lemon Filling:
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
Gradually whisk in the water, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.
Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot lemon mixture to temper the yolks.
Gradually whisk the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining hot lemon mixture.
Return the saucepan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens further, about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted and smooth.
Let the lemon filling cool slightly.
3. Assemble the Mini Lemon Tarts:
Spoon the cooled lemon filling into the cooled tart shells.
Chill the tarts in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set the filling.
4. Serve:
Before serving, dust the tops of the tarts with powdered sugar.
Optionally, garnish each tart with a fresh berry or a small mint leaf for decoration.
