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Bright and silky lemon curd meets a crisp, buttery shell in these petite tartlets.

Light, fresh and just the right balance of sweet and tart, they make an elegant finish to a spring meal or even a treat for Mother’s or Father’s Day.

Citrus desserts always feel like a welcome shift after the heavier sweets of winter. While peak citrus season arrives earlier in the year, lemons linger well into spring and summer, making them a natural choice for lighter desserts as the days get longer and tables turn toward fresh, bright flavours.

These lemon curd tartlets deliver that balance beautifully with crisp pastry and a silky, tangy filling. Elegant enough for Mother’s Day brunch or a spring dinner party, they are just as fitting for a summer gathering when a simple, refreshing dessert is all that is needed.

lemon curd tartlets
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Lemon Curd Tarlets

These lemon curd tartlets feature a simple buttery crust filled with homemade lemon curd thickened with egg, sugar, lemon juice and zest, then chilled until set.
Servings 6
Author Bernice Hill

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold
  • 1 egg

Lemon curd

  • 1 cup sugar 2
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest

Instructions

Crust

  • In a food processor combine flour, granulated sugar and salt.
  • On low speed add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until well combined. Add the egg and pulse until the dough forms.
  • Remove the dough from the processor and form into a disc shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Curd

  • In a small bowl whisk together ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and egg until well combined then set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan bring the lemon juice, remaining ½ cup of sugar and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce the heat to low then slowly whisk in the egg mixture. Continue to cook on low and whisk until it begins to thicken.
  • Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cut a slit in the top to release the heat while it cools to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray six mini tart dishes with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Dust a flat, clean surface with flour then roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick. With a small bowl or large cookie cutter, cut out circles that are slightly larger than the tart pans. Carefully fit the circles into the tart pans, pressing down on the edges and removing excess dough.
  • Use a fork to make air holes in the bottoms of each tart then cut a small piece of parchment paper to rest over the top. Fill each with pie weights, beans or rice then bake for 20 minutes in the oven.
  • Allow to cool then remove pie weights and parchment paper. When the lemon curd has cooled and thickened, spoon into each tart crust. Refrigerate for at least another hour then serve.