Sharp, creamy, sweet and slightly caramelised, these lemon tartlets are delicate but easy to make. Being small, they bake more quickly than a large tart – and they require no rolling. The tricks are to rest the pastry, watch the tarts carefully while they’re baking and have patience while they cool.
Baked lemon tartlets
I used 2cm x 8cm round pastry rings to make these.
Prep 15 min
Chill 6 hr+
Cook 45 min
Makes 7 small tartlets
For the pastry
140g plain flour
A pinch of sea salt
45g icing sugar
Zest of ½ lemon
75g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 egg (50g)
For the filling
375ml double cream
150g caster sugar
A pinch of salt
120ml lemon juice (ie, from 3 large lemons)
6 egg yolks (20g each)
For the pastry, in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor, combine the flour, salt, icing sugar and lemon zest, and mix well. Add the cold, cubed butter and, using your fingertips, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or the pulse setting on a food processor, rub into the flour mixture until it has the texture of breadcrumbs.
Add the egg, mix until it comes together, then tip on to a work surface and knead gently to form a smooth ball. Wrap tightly, pat into a disc, then refrigerate for four hours, until chilled.
Remove from the fridge and knead gently, then divide into seven even balls. Press these into the individual tart cases using your thumbs, then return to the fridge to rest and firm up. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4.
Put the lined tart shells on an oven tray, put a scrunched-up sheet of greaseproof paper in each tart shell and fill to the top with baking beans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven, carefully lift out the paper and beans, then return to the oven for five minutes, until the insides are also golden brown.
For the filling, warm the cream, sugar and salt until steaming, leave to bubble a little, then pour in the lemon juice and stir. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl.
Pour the hot lemon/cream mixture on to the yolks, whisk to combine, then pour through a fine sieve into a jug.
Turn up the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Fill the tart shells with the warm lemon custard filling and put the tray on a rack close to the top of the oven for four to seven minutes. Keep an eye on them: the filling should bubble and caramelise in patches.
Once baked, leave to cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for two to four hours, until cold and set.
