Mini Lemon Tartlets (Two-Bite Lemon Tarts)
Bright, tangy, and just two bites each, these mini lemon tartlets deliver big lemon flavor in a small mouthful. The silky filling is made by puréeing the whole lemon (yes, peel and all!) for a bold, balanced custard tucked into a buttery shortcrust shell. Whether you’re planning a tea party, brunch, or just want a small sweet treat, these easy lemon tartlets are quick to make and disappear even faster!
Servings: 48 tartlets
Calories: 85kcal
Special Equipment
- 2 mini muffin pans see Recipe Notes
Ingredients
- 1 recipe (1 recipe) shortcrust pastry, or store bought pie dough
- 1 (1) lemon, rinsed and dried
- 1½ cups (300 grams) sugar
- ½ cup (114 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 4 (200 grams) large eggs
- 2 tablespoons (14 grams) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) kosher salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare 1 recipe shortcrust pastry.
- Preheat the oven 400 °F. Spray the cups of the mini muffin pans with baking spray.
- For the tartlet shells: Roll out the chilled shortcrust pastry to between ⅛ to ¼-inch thick and cut out rounds using a 2½-inch round cookie cutter. Using a pastry dough tart tamper, push the rounds into the muffin pan cups. Freeze the dough for 15 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up. You don’t want slumped tartlet shells.
- Partially bake the tartlet shells for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven to cool while you make the filling, and turn oven down to 350 °F.
- For the filling: Cut 1 lemon in half. Check if the thickness of the white ring of the skin (the pith) is larger than ¼-inch thick. If so, pare the zest from one half of the lemon, cutting away any of the pith before proceeding. Slice the lemon halves into thin slices, removing the seeds.
- Put all the lemon slices (and any zest pieces), 1½ cups sugar, and ½ cup unsalted butter into the container of a food processor. Purée the mixture, scraping down the sides of the container as needed, until the lemon is chopped fine. Add 4 large eggs, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and pulse until the batter is smooth.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion 1 tablespoon of the batter into each of the pastry cups. Try not to pour it past the top of the tart shells or it will become difficult to unmold later.
- Bake the tartlets for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is set. It will jiggle slightly and be very light brown on top, and a digital thermometer will read 175 °F.
- Cool the tartlets in the pan placed on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then take them out of the pan to the wire rack. If necessary, use a tool that won’t damage your pan to pry the tarts out. Let the tartlets cool completely. Chill before serving if desired.
- Dust with powdered sugar, then serve and enjoy.
- Storage instructions: Cooled lemon tartlets can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a few days. They can also be frozen, stored in an airtight bag for longer storage. Defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving
- Make-ahead instructions: The shortcrust pastry can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen and stored in an airtight bag for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Recipe Notes
If you have extra filling, you can pour the remainder into buttered ramekins and bake for about 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar after chilling. It’s quite yummy, like a cross between pudding and soufflé.
You can use tartlet pans, silicone molds, or even small ramekins. Just adjust the baking time slightly depending on the size of the shells.
You can make one whole tart instead of the mini tartlets. Follow the directions above, pressing the shortcrust pastry (rolled ¼-inch thick) into a 9-inch tart pan. Bake at 350˚F for 35 to 40 minutes until the filling is set. It will jiggle slightly in the middle and will be very light brown. Cool on a wire rack, then chill before serving. You can dust the tart with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tartlet | Calories: 85kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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