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Learn how to make mini lemon meringue tartlets like a pastry chef as easy and delicious as these lemon curd cupcakes ! With a buttery sweet pastry crust, a tangy lemon curd filling, and a toasted meringue topping. Perfect for enjoying lemon season.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients You Need
How to make mini lemon meringue tartlets
Tips for this recipe
Storage instructions
Recipe Variations
Recipe Questions
You will also love
Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts

Savor mini lemon meringue tarts – a delightful twist on classic lemon pie. These single-serve treats burst with lemony goodness, reimagining the traditional lemon meringue tart in a personal, zesty delight.

They start with a 'pâte sucrée,' a buttery crust dough that provides a crisp foundation. Then, each tart is generously filled with homemade lemon curd, delivering a burst of citrus goodness.

These tarts are topped with toasted, fluffy meringue, skillfully browned using a kitchen blow torch. The Italian meringue not only balances the lemon's tartness but also adds an elegant touch with its golden peaks.

Why you'll love this recipe

Burst of Flavor: These mini lemon tarts offer an explosion of zesty and tangy flavors in every bite, making them a must-try for citrus enthusiasts.
Perfectly Balanced: The sweet 'pâte sucrée' crust, vibrant lemon curd, and fluffy meringue create a harmonious blend of textures and tastes.
Individual Delight: Individually-sized, these tarts are not only delicious but also a charming and personal dessert option for any occasion.

Ingredients You Need

You need these ingredients to make these lemon meringue tartlets:

Butter - Use only unsalted butter at room temperature softened.
Powdered Sugar - only powdered sugar to have a smooth dough texture
Egg - large egg at room temperature
Flour - all-purpose flour is the best.
Almond meal- almond flour or hazelnut meal.
Salt - Fine salt.
Sugar - Only white granulated sugar.
Lemon - Fresh lemon juice with lemon zest
Water and Sugar - Granulated sugar and water for the cooked sugar syrup
Egg whites - At room temperature.

How to make mini lemon meringue tartlets

Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!

Place softened unsalted butter with powdered sugar, almond meal, egg and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend on medium speed until creamy.

Add flour and blend again just until incorporated then gather the dough and wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

mixing bowl with egg butter almond meal and powdered sugar

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 3 mm and use it to line small pastry rings or a tart pan.

Bake tart shells in the oven at 347°F / 175°C for about 15 minutes until golden brown. And take them out of the oven and let them cool a bit before turning them out and letting them cool completely on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, eggs, granulated sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest.Heat in a double boiler on medium heat while stirring until the lemon mixture thickens.

Remove from heat, add butter pieces and mix to incorporate. Cover with cling film and place in the refrigerator until cool. Fill the baked tart shell with the lemon filling and chill in the refrigerator.

Place the egg whites at room temperature in the large mixing bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix at slow-medium speed until you get soft peaks.

Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan and check the temperature, which should be at least 244°F/118°C.

Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup over the sides of the mixer containing the eggs, which should be frothy, while leaving the mixer running at low speed.

Mix at high speed until you have stiff glossy peaks meringue. Place meringue in a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe meringue on top of the lemon tart and use a blowtorch to create a burnt effect.

Tips for this recipe

Blind bake Tart Shells: Before adding the lemon filling, pre-bake your mini tart shells until they're lightly golden (no need to use pie weights if tarts are completely frozen before baking).
Strain the Lemon Curd: After making your lemon curd, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps or pieces of zest.
Chill Before Serving: Allow the mini lemon tarts to set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
Meringue Topping: Whip the meringue right before garnishing. If you prepare it in advance (like earlier in the day), leave it at room temperature and whip it again just before serving to restore its firm texture and shiny, stiff peaks.

Storage instructions

In the fridge: Store lemon meringue mini tarts for about 3-4 days under plastic wrap or in an airtight container box.

Room temperature: The mini tart shells can be stored at room temperature for 4-5 days under a cloth or in a storage box.

In the freezer: You can keep the mini tarts with the lemon cream filling (without the meringue frosting ) in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations

Lime Meringue Tarts: Swap out the lemon juice and zest for lime for a zesty and slightly tropical twist.
Orange Meringue Tarts: Use orange juice and zest in place of lemon for a sweeter, citrusy variation.
Passion Fruit Meringue Tarts: Incorporate passion fruit pulp into the curd for a tangy and tropical flavor profile.
Raspberry Swirl Meringue Tarts: Swirl a small amount of raspberry coulis into the lemon curd before topping with meringue, adding a fruity contrast.
Toasted Coconut Meringue: Mix some finely toasted coconut into the meringue for an added texture and flavor boost

Recipe Questions

Difference between lemon meringue pie and lemon meringue tart?

A lemon meringue pie typically features a flaky crust and is topped with a softer meringue that's baked in the oven, whereas a lemon meringue tart has a crisper crust and often uses Italian meringue, browned with a torch for a more distinct texture.

Can you freeze mini lemon meringue tarts?

Yes, you can freeze a lemon meringue tart, but it's best to freeze the crust and lemon filling separately from the meringue for optimal texture upon thawing.

How to toast meringue without a kitchen torch?

To toast meringue without a kitchen torch, place the dessert under the broiler set to high heat for about 1-2 minutes, watching closely to ensure it browns without burning.

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I hope you love these lemon curd tartlets. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts

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5 from 1 review

Author: Fadela
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 10 tartlets

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Description

Recipes for lemon tarts with sweet pastry, lemon cream and Italian meringue frosting (For 8-10 tarts)

Instructions

Sweet crust

Place softened butter with powdered sugar, ground almonds, egg, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Add the flour and beat again on low speed just until incorporated.
Gather the dough into a ball and cover on contact with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Spread the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 3 mm.
Line tartlet rings with the dough and places them in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 347°F / 175°C and bake the tarts for about 10-15 minutes.

Lemon filling

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Heat the mixture in a double boiler while whisking until the cream thickens.
Remove from heat and add the butter pieces and whisk to incorporate them.
Cover and place in the fridge until completely chilled.
Fill the tart shells with the lemon curd and place the tartlets in the fridge.

Italian meringue

Heat the sugar in a saucepan with the water and control the temperature, which should reach 118°C.
Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at slow to medium speed.
When the syrup is ready, lower the speed of the mixer and pour the syrup over the whites, which should be frothy.
Resume mixing at high speed until you have a glossy, firm meringue.
Fill a piping bag with the meringue and decorate the top of the tart.
Run a blowtorch over the meringue to brown it.