Creamy Lemon Tartlets with Sweet Pastry Crust

These sweet, luscious lemon tartlets have a silky lemon cream filling and a buttery sweet pastry crust. They’re insanely delicious! Like lemon bars but a tad less tart. Plus, they’re pretty gorgeous and perfect for entertaining.

Lemon Tartlets Recipe

It doesn’t get much better than these mini lemon tarts with shortbread crusts. Especially if you’re love lemon desserts as much as I do!

The 5-ingredient lemon cream filling is similar to lemon curd. But it’s made with more butter resulting in a creamier, lighter lemon filling.

The crust is a traditional flaky, buttery, and slightly sweet pâte sucrée (or sweet pastry) crust. And while that might sound fancy, this dough is actually super simple to make with an electric mixer using room temperature butter and eggs.

Top them with some sweet whipped cream or some edible flowers for the prettiest spring dessert!

Individual Lemon Tarts Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this mini lemon tart recipe.

• UNSALTED BUTTER
• SUGAR
• SALT
• EGGS
• ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• FRESH LEMON JUICE
• HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM: You can also use store-bought whipped cream.
• EDIBLE FLOWERS: If using fresh flowers, make sure they’re edible!

How To Make Lemon Tartlets

Just a heads up. This recipe takes some time to make (the dough needs at least 2 hours to chill before using). But the steps are easy! And both the dough and filling can be made in advance. Here’s what you’ll need to do.

• MAKE THE CRUST: Add the butter, sugar, and salt to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Add in one egg and mix until combined. Repeat with the second egg. At low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 balls and shape each one into a 1/2-inch thick disc. Wrap them in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

• BAKE THE TART SHELLS: When the dough is ready, place it on a lightly floured surface and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it’s 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out circles of dough that are about 2 inches larger than the tartlet pans (to ensure the dough will also cover the sides of the pan). Add the dough circles to the tartlet pans, gently pushing it into place. If it tears, just patch it with extra dough. Next, place the tartlet shells in the refrigerator or freezer until the dough is firm, about 15 minutes. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Then dock (prick) the bottoms with the tines of a fork. Then bake the tartlet shells until fully cooked and the crust is starts to turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before using.

• COOK THE LEMON CREAM: Pour about 2 inches of water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a stainless-steel or glass bowl that can fit safely fits over the saucepan without touching the water (like a homemade double boiler). Cook the mixture while continuously whisking until the mixture is very thick, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Then add to a blender and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. The mixtutre will be light yellow and thick. You can also use an immersion blender. The lemon cream can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After refrigerating, gently heat in a bowl set over simmering water until it is soft.

• ASSEMBLE: Pour the lemon cream into the prepared tartlet shells. Shake the pans gently to even out the filling. Chill until firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days.

• GARNISH & SERVE: When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream until it thickens, then add the sugar and continue to beat the cream until it holds stiff peaks. Add to the lemon tartlets, along with edible fresh flowers or any other garnish.

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A Few More Recipe Tips:

Here are a few more helpful tips to ensure your lemon tartlets turn out perfectly!

• TIPS ON WORKING WITH PÂTE SUCRÉE: Pâte sucrée dough isn’t as fussy as regular pie dough. It can be rolled out multiple times without any issues. And if the dough develops tears when you’re adding it to your tartlet pans, no problem! Just patch the hole with extra dough and press firmly, so it sticks. One note: make sure the dough doesn’t get too warm. If it does, just put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up again.

• DOUGH MAKE-AHEAD & STORAGE: This dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using. Baked and cooled pastry shells can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Just make sure they’re stored in an air-tight container or wrap.

• LEMON CREAM FILLING MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE: The lemon cream filling can also be made in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When ready to use, bring the lemon cream filling to room temperature by gently heating it in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water.

• TARTLET MAKE-AHEAD & STORAGE: Assembled lemon tartlets will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

• RECIPE: This recipe comes from the amazing Northern California-based Tartine Bakery.

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Creamy Lemon Tartlets with Sweet Pastry Crust

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• Author: Laura | Growing Up Cali
• Yield: 12 4-inch tartlets 1x

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Description

These creamy lemon tartlets with sweet pastry crust are insanely delicious! They’re the perfect spring dessert.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 cup and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 3 3/4 and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Optional egg wash: 1 egg, beaten

FOR THE LEMON CREAM FILLING:

• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar or to taste
• Edible fresh flower or garnish of your choice

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Instructions

MAKE THE CRUST:

1. MIX BUTTER, SUGAR & SALT: Add the butter, sugar, and salt to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until smooth.
2. ADD EGGS: Mix in one egg and mix until combined. Repeat with the second egg. At low speed, combine the flour and mix until just combined.
3. FORM DOUGH & CHILL: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 balls and shape each one into a 1/2-inch thick disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

BAKE THE TART SHELLS:

1. ROLL OUT THE DOUGH: When the dough is ready, place it on a lightly floured surface, and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it’s 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Then, cut out circles of dough that are about 2 inches larger than the tartlet pans (to ensure the dough will also cover the sides of the pan). Add the dough circles to the tartlet pans, gently pushing into place. If it tears, just patch it with extra dough.
2. CHILL THE SHELLS: Next, place the tartlet shells into the refrigerator or freezer until the dough is firm, about 15 minutes.
3. BAKE THE TARTLETS: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Then dock (prick) the bottoms with the tines of a fork. Then bake the tartlet shells until fully cooked and the crust starts to turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before using.
4. OPTIONAL EGG WASH: Use an egg wash to keep the crust crisp longer. Add it a few minutes before the shells are done baking, and then continue to bake until shells have reached their desired color.

COOK THE LEMON CREAM:

1. MIX TOGETHER LEMON JUICE, EGG, SUGAR & SALT: Pour about 2 inches of water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a stainless-steel or glass bowl that can fit safely fit over the saucepan without touching the water (like a homemade double boiler).
2. COOK THE MIXTURE: Cook the mixture while continuously whisking until the mixture is very thick, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
3. BLEND IN THE BUTTER: Then add to a blender and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated. The mixture will be light yellow and thick. You can also use an immersion blender.
4. USE OR STORE: The lemon cream can be used immediately or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After refrigerating, just gently heat in a bowl set over simmering water until it is soft. 

ASSEMBLE:

1. Pour the lemon cream into the prepared tartlet shells. Shake the pans gently to even out the filling. Chill until firm, about 2 hours or up to 3 days.
2. MAKE WHIPPED CREAM: When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream until it thickens, then add the sugar and continue to whip until the cream holds stiff peaks.
3. GARNISH & SERVE: Add to the lemon tartlets, along with edible fresh flowers or any other garnish.