How to Make Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts with Homemade Lemon Curd
Serves 845 mins prep20 mins cook
These mini lemon meringue tarts are as delightful to eat as they are to look at—each one a crisp, buttery shell filled with smooth homemade lemon curd and topped with a swirl of toasted meringue.Made with my pâte sucrée recipe, lemon curd, and a luscious meringue topping, these tiny tartlets are the perfect dessert for spring celebrations, afternoon tea, or anytime you want to impress. As a pastry chef, I’ve made my fair share of tartlets, and this version is a timeless favorite—equal parts tart, sweet, and sophisticated.
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What you need
Instructions
Mini Tart Shells 2 In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, start by mixing sugar, butter, vanilla paste, salt, almond and all-purpose flour, mixing until combined. Take a moment to scrape the mixing bowl 4 Add room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing between additions 6 Add bread flour, making sure to not overmix 8 Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap – then place in the fridge to chill before using for at least one hour. 10 I tend to make my tart dough ahead of time so I throw it in the fridge until the next day. If using this method, remove your dough from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to roll it out – you’ll find that it will be MUCH easier to work with! 12 Once your dough is rolled to the desired thickness, press gently into the bottom of your mini tart pans or rings, poking the bottom of the tart LIBERALLY with a fork, and place in the freezer to chill for 20-30 minutes. This is essential – your tart shells are less likely to shrink while baking if you take the time to freeze your shells. 14 Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 16 Line the shell with parchment paper and baking rice/beans/pie weights to further prevent the dough from puffing up and bake for about 15 minutes. 18 Bake until edges become ever so slightly browned - this should take another 10 minutes then remove from the oven and allow to cool. Lemon Curd 22 In a saucepan, heat a few inches of water on medium and bring to a simmer. With a non-metal whisk, whisk together all ingredients other than the butter in a non-metal heatproof bowl, and place on top of the saucepan allowing the hot steam of the water to slowly heat the mixture. 24 Take care to continuously mix while the temperature raises and the mixture thickens. Remove bowl from heat once a thermometer reads 180 degrees Fahrenheit. 26 Continue whisking mixture continuously in order to help it cool down. Once the temperature has lowered to 135 degrees, add ½ inch pieces of butter to the mixture. Using an immersion blender or spatula, continue to blend until butter is fully incorporated. Set aside for assembling! Meringue & Assembly 35 While the curd is still a bit warm, fill the mini tarts with lemon curd on a lined baking tray or plate. Transfer the filled tarts to the fridge and chill for at least 2–3 hours, or until the lemon curd is fully set. Meanwhile you can make the meringue! 36 Add your sugar and egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer and place over a saucepan of boiling water. Make sure that your bowl is not touching the hot water! Your goal is to simply whisk the egg whites and sugar together over a gentle heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then attach your bowl back to the standing mixer. The temperature of your egg whites and sugar should reach 170°F 37 Whisk mixture starting at a low speed and gradually increase until soft peaks form and the mixture has cooled. Place the meringue into a piping bag if desired in prepration for adding to the top of the mini lemon tarts. 32 Once the tarts have chilled, pipe or dollop the meringue topping onto each tart. Use a kitchen torch to gently toast the meringue until golden brown and beautifully caramelized and add a few edible flowers on top if desired for garnish!View original recipe