Pies, Crisps and Cobblers

Lemon Tartlets

Chilled buttery lemon curd fills individual flaky tart shells enhanced by the flakier and richer qualities produced by Challenge European Style.

Servings

6-12 tartlets

Level

Medium

Lemon Curd

  • 4-5 lemons, zest and juice
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Challenge European Style Butter (cut into ½-inch cubes)
  • 5 eggs, well beaten

Tart Shells

  • 1½ cups flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Challenge European Style Butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • Slices of fresh strawberries or kiwi

Lemon Curd

  • 1
    Remove zest from lemons with a lemon zester or fine grater (Use the yellow portion of the peel and avoid any of the bitter white portions.) Juice lemons (about a cup). Combine lemon juice and zest with sugar in a heavy 2-quart saucepan.
  • 2
    Heat over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until completely melted. Whisk in eggs.
  • 3
    Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and coats back of spoon. Pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer; discard peel.
  • 4
    Chill curd before filling tarts.

Tart Shells

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • 2
    Combine flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add egg and mix until evenly moistened.
  • 3
    Divide mixture into small tart pans (twelve, 3-inch pans or six, 4½-inch pans). Press dough evenly over bottom and sides.
  • 4
    Place tart pans on baking sheet and bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • 5
    Let cool. Remove from pans, fill with chilled lemon curd, garnish with fresh fruit slices and serve.
  •  !
    Lemon curd is also delicious on scones or as a cake filling.