Lemon Curd Tartlets

Name: Lemon Curd Tartlets
Ingredients: 200 g flour; 100 g butter; 100 g sugar; 1 egg; 2 eggs; 2 lemons; 50 g butter; 150 g sugar; 50 ml heavy cream 33-38% for decoration (optional)

Tender, crumbly tartlets made from classic shortcrust pastry are a wonderful match for an incredibly fragrant, tangy lemon curd. Lemon curd is very popular in England, where it's often used instead of jam on scones. It also pairs beautifully with any shortbread baked goods. It's very easy to make, keeps in the refrigerator for quite a long time (up to 2–4 weeks), and can be used whenever needed. I suggest serving this curd in crumbly shortcrust tartlet shells. If you like, you can use store-bought tartlet shells, or simply enjoy this delicious lemon curd with shortbread cookies. In total, I ended up with 10 tartlets and about 300 ml of curd.

Ingredients:

Dough:
200 g flour
100 g butter
100 g sugar
1 egg
Lemon curd:
2 eggs
2 lemons
50 g butter
150 g sugar
Also:
50 ml heavy cream 33-38% for decoration (optional)

How to cook lemon curd tartlets

Make the lemon curd. Zest the lemons using a fine grater (avoid grating into the white pith).

Juice the lemons (I got 150 ml of juice). If the lemons were very small and you didn't get enough juice, add another lemon; conversely, if the lemons are large, aim for about 150 ml of juice.

Combine the lemon zest, juice, eggs, and sugar. If the lemons are very tart, you can use more sugar. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the zest can release its aroma.

Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the zest. Pour into a small saucepan and place over heat.

Once the mixture heats up, add the butter. Stirring constantly, continue cooking until thickened. The mixture may bubble actively (as clearly visible in the photo), but the eggs won't curdle, thanks to the high acid content.

Let the finished curd cool completely. As it cools, it will thicken even more and develop a lovely, creamy consistency.

Make the tartlet shells. Beat the softened butter together with the sugar until well combined.

Add the egg and mix well.

Add the flour in portions, mixing thoroughly with a spoon each time. Then bring the dough together with your hands into a ball.

Divide the dough into 8–12 pieces depending on the size of your tart molds (I divided it into 10 pieces; my molds are 7 cm in diameter). Press the dough into the molds with your fingers, spreading it evenly and forming small sides.

Line each mold with a square of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, such as dried beans. This prevents the sides from sliding down during baking. The beans can be stored in a separate jar and reused next time. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for 10–15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5–10 minutes.