Goes to show how much I love lemon tarts, when I have a (II) for a recipe. Just wanted to make the tart shell recipe even simpler, and also wanted to avoid measuring eggs, so I modified the old one. The texture of the shell is crumbly and buttery inside, and crusty, even flaky, outside. It’s also very easy to handle if the dough is rested.
Recipe (makes 12 small tarts or one 6″ fluted tart pan)
Shell
- 90g salted butter
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 150g plain flour
Curd
- 2 eggs (about 60g each with shell)
- 80g lemon juice
- 7g corn starch (add to lemon juice and dissolve, if you wish to pipe the curd. Omit if you just want to spoon into shell or prefer a more flowy texture.)
- 80g sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 60g salted butter
Method
1. Place all shell ingredients except flour into a pot and heat under low to medium flames.
2. Heat till all sugar and butter has dissolved, with bubbles forming at the edges of pot, about 3-5 mins.
3. Turn off flames. Pour sifted flour in one go into pot and mix will a dough forms.
4. Rest for about 10 min and divide and press into tart pan. About 25g each. Makes 12 tarts using this pan. Poke holes into each tart with a fork, about 10-15 times.
5. Bake at 210 deg C for 12 min till golden brown. Cool for 5 min.Carefully overturn onto a wire rack, tarts are very delicate and may break. See how flaky these are.
6. Now for curd. Rub whole lemon with salt and rinse clean and wipe dry. Scrape off the zest, then rub zest into sugar.
7. In a ceramic or glass bowl, add in eggs, lemon juice, sugar with zest, and stir till well mixed. Don’t use metallic bowls.
8. Place the bowl over a pot of water on the stove. Heat gently over the pot with simmering water, stir constantly with hand whisk. Near ready, the mixture will become very foamy, and thickened, in about 5 min. Be very careful not too cook the eggs, stir constantly and just take the bowl off the heat to observe if in doubt. When it thickens like a gel, it’s ready.
9. Remove from heat and cool for 5 -10 min. Then add in butter and stir till even.
10. Spoon into tart shells and chill before serving. The curd is rather soft and flowy and will smoothen out nicely.
11. Alternatively, you can pipe in like below in which case you will need a firmer curd. Add 7g corn starch to the lemon juice first and dissolve well. Cook the custard drier to a more lumpy texture, stirring rapidly at the end of cooking.
12. After curd has cooled, add in butter and cool some more. Scoop into piping bag and pipe with wilton 1M for below designs.
Looks delicious 😋 Thanks for sharing 😊
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Most welcome.
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Looks so delicious & they are so pretty, I must try making them. Thank you so much for sharing
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Thanks for your kind words.
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Can i do this without egg?
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No.
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They are so pretty. I must try baking them for my church charity event.
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Thanks Ivy.
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Thanks looks nice and easy! Can I replace condense milk?
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No, can’t be replaced.
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The tarts need to bake at middle rack or lowest rack?
Can i prepare the lemon curd in advanced and keep in fridge first?
Tqvm
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I hv just baked the lemon tarts, the tart should be kept at room temperature or to put in the fridge. Will the tart turn soft the next day?
Regards
Irene
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Keep in the fridge, the tart shell should not turn soft.
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Hi Oldaybakes, thank you for sharing your wonderful lemon tart recipe. May i check can i bake the tart shell one day in advance then do the filling the next day? Will this way affect the taste of the tarts? Thank you.
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I think the tart might soften slightly but should be ok. I usually chill the tart and consume the next day and I think still fine.
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Thank you!
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Hi Oladybakes,
This is so inspiring to bake!
Many Thanks for sharing.
How do you get such a nice clean finish to the top of your shell?
Do you scrape the leftovers of the dough with a knife?
Is it possible to double or triple this lovely recipe?
Jacqui
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I used my thumb and index finger to go around the edges slowly and over many times.
Yes you can multiply the recipe.
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Nice tarts esp love lemon filling. May i know where you buy the tart tray. Thanks.
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Can’t remember, I think it’s Lazada. But I’ve seen them from Phoon huat too.
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Hi, thanks for sharing your recipe and they look sooo good. May i know if you have to spread some butter on the tart tray or not required. And wondering if it’s gonna be tough trying to take the tart out after baking. Any tips on this? TQ…..
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Not for me, have always fall out easily.
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Hi, may I know if you bake the tarts after filling it with the curd? How do you achieve the dome shape of the curd? Thanks for sharing the recipe.
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No more baking as per recipe. Dome is just from filling in the curd till full.
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Tried it and it’s delicious but abit too sour so may need to add more sugar next time. Thank you
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Can just reduce the amount of lemon juice as well.
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