These lemon curd tartlets fill buttery pastry shells with tangy homemade lemon curd, ready in about 40 minutes and easy to assemble hours ahead for entertaining. These look like you spent hours in a French bakery, but the secret is buying the tartlet shells and letting the lemon curd do all the bragging. Tangy, smooth, and elegant enough to bring to a dinner party but easy enough that you won’t panic while making them. Serve them alongside our sparkling lemon elderflower spritz for an instant dinner party.
Quick answer: Tiny desserts with buttery pastry shells filled with tangy homemade lemon curd. Takes about 40 minutes to make, yields 12 tartlets, and can be assembled hours ahead for entertaining.
Combine eggs, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method), making sure the bottom doesn't touch the water.
Whisk constantly for 12-15 minutes until the mixture thickens and reaches 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. The curd should coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Whisk in the cold butter pieces until fully melted and smooth.
Cool the curd to room temperature, about 15 minutes. It will thicken further as it cools.
Spoon lemon curd into each pre-baked pastry shell, filling to just below the rim. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.
If you cooked it too fast over high heat, the eggs may have scrambled. Strain it through a fine sieve and whisk in a tablespoon of softened butter to smooth it out. It won't be silky, but it'll still taste good.
Yes, that's actually the whole point of this recipe. Use any quality pre-baked mini pastry shells you can find. Just assemble shortly before serving so they don't get soggy.
Unfilled tartlet shells stay crispy for up to 8 hours before serving. Curd stays fresh in the fridge for 3 days. Assemble no more than 2 hours before eating or the shells will soften.
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