Lemon Tartlets

It is spring now and spring is the perfect time of year to start making a lot of things with lemons. Though I love lemons, so I tend to use them throughout the year, but definitely more so in the spring and summer months.

It’s no secret that pairing lemons and blueberries together is a match made in heaven. Blueberries and lemons were just meant to be together. Flip through the pages of any cookbook and it’s likely that most recipes featuring blueberries will call for a citrusy addition. Whether it’s a splash of mouth-puckering juice in a jam or ribbons of zesty peel in a pie filling, lemon is the not-so-secret ingredient that makes berry-forward treats taste even better. The tartness of the citrus fruit works to balance the sweetness of the blueberries. It also neutralizes any of their bitterness to better enhance the more subtle flavors. Furthermore, lemons add a freshness that can help cut through the decadence of blueberry confections, making the dynamic duo a must when baking.

My latest lemony treat was some lemon tartlets topped with blueberries. These were a huge hit and disappeared immediately. One minute they were they, the next minute they had all disappeared. 🙂

Lemon Tartlets

Start with the pate sucre or sweet crust first. Then make and fill with the lemon curd. I doubled the recipe to get about 38 individual tartlets.

Pate Sucre

1 2/3 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick cold butter, cubed

1 egg

2-3 TBSP heavy whipping cream

Blend the flour, salt, butter and powdered sugar in a food processor until it resembles coarse sand. You can also use a pastry cutter, or mix it by hand as well. Then add the egg and cream and blend together until it all forms into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour before using.

Preheat the oven to 325* F or 107*C.

Once the dough is set, cut or roll it into small little balls and firmly press the balls into the tart or tartlet pans. I made little individual tartlets, but you can also make a larger tart with the same recipe and technique.

You can use baking beans if you having them. I usually do not. Instead, I just remove the tartlets when they are almost baked and press them back into shape and place them back in the oven to finish baking. Bake them for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and set. Pop them out of the tartlet pans and allow to cool completely before filling.

Lemon Curd Filling

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

5 TBSP butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp lemon extract

1 TBSP lemon zest

whipped cream, for topping

blueberries for topping, optional

Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice and the sugar into a heavy saucepan. Whisk together, then place on the stove at a low heat, and whisk continuously for about 5 or so minutes, or until it starts to thicken.

Start adding the butter a little at a time, whisking in between each addition. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, whisking the whole time. Add the lemon zest and the lemon extract at the end of the cooking process and mix in thoroughly. You should have a nice thick lemon curd.

Add about 1-2 TBSP of filling to each tartlet.

Place the tartlets in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours before topping with the whipped cream and blueberries. I also added a few yellow sprinkles to the tartlets to make them really stand out. Place the tartlets back in the refrigerator until ready to serve, then watch them all quickly disappear. 🙂

Have a great day Everyone and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.