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–+ servings

Lemon Tartlets

Desserts
Crisp shells of pâte brisée filled with a refreshing silky lemon cream. It's sharp with fresh lemon, rich with butter, and just delicious. That balance of buttery pastry and bright, tangy filling is what makes these so good. Finish them with a light dusting of icing sugar to make them look even more elegant and read to serve!
lemon tartlets recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients 

For the pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry)
For the lemon curd filling
For decoration
For the egg wash seal

Equipment

Instructions

1. Make the pastry

  1. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Work quickly, you want the butter cold.
    Add the egg yolk and cold water. Bring the dough together with your hands until it just forms a ball. Don't overwork it; a few rough bits are fine. The less you handle it, the shorter and more tender your pastry will be.

2. Rest and chill the pastry

  1. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in cling film, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This resting time is not optional, it relaxes the gluten and stops the pastry from shrinking when it bakes.

3. Line and chill the tartlet tins

  1. Lightly butter your tartlet tins. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to about 3mm thick. Cut out 6 circles slightly larger than your tins and press them in carefully, making sure there are no air pockets underneath. Trim the excess and prick the bases with a fork. Put the lined tins back in the fridge for another 30 minutes.

4. Blind bake the pastry cases

  1. Heat your oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional). Line each pastry case with a small piece of baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5–7 minutes until the bases are dry and very lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly. Turn the oven down to 160°C fan (180°C conventional).

5. File and neaten the pastry cases

  1. Once the cases are cool enough to handle, take a look at the top edges. Even careful trimming leaves a few rough spots after baking. Hold a microplane or fine grater flat against the rim of each case and run it gently around the edge in short strokes to file away any ragged or uneven bits. This takes about thirty seconds per case and makes a noticeable difference to the finished result. Brush away any crumbs with a dry pastry brush.

6. Seal the cases with egg wash

  1. Whisk the egg yolk and milk together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of each case lightly as well as the base and sides. Return them to the oven (still at 160°C fan / 180°C conventional) for 2–3 minutes until the egg wash has set and turned slightly glossy. This creates a barrier between the pastry and the filling, keeping the base crisp rather than soggy. Leave to cool completely before filling.

7. Make the lemon filling

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth and combined. Add the cooled melted butter off the hob and whisk again until everything is well incorporated.

8. Fill and bake the tartlets

  1. Pour the filling into the sealed cases, fill them right to the top (with or without piping bag, your choice). Slide them carefully into the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes. The filling should be just set at the edges with a slight wobble still in the centre when you gently move the tray. It will firm up as it cools.

7. Cool and dust the tartlets

  1. Leave the tartlets to cool completely in their tins before attempting to unmould them, the filling sets fully as it cools. Once cold, dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Notes

  • The egg wash seal in step 6 is a standard French pâtisserie technique and genuinely worth doing. It takes a few extra minutes but keeps the base crisp even after the filling has been in for a day.
  • The microplane or fine grater you use for zesting works perfectly for filing the pastry edges, the fine side gives you control without taking off too much.
  • The pastry must be cold at every stage. If your kitchen is warm, chill the bowl too. Warm butter means tough, greasy pastry.
  • Don't skip the second rest after lining the tins. It really does prevent shrinkage.
  • Roll the lemons firmly on the worktop before juicing, you'll get significantly more juice out of them.
  • The tartlets keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Dust with icing sugar just before serving, not before.