- Shortcrust Pastry "Pâte sucrée" - Homemade Lemon Curd - Italian Meringue
- Stand mixer or hand mixer - Perforated tart rings (in picture) - Perforated baking sheet - Rolling pin - Piping bag - St honoré tip
Cream the butter with the powdered sugar, eggs and almond powder. Then add the dry ingredients and mix again. Form the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper, then place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Cut out circles and strips to fit your tartlet molds. Line the tartlet pans with the pieces of dough and trim off any excess. Place the tartlet pans in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking them in the oven at 347°F/175°C for 10-15 minutes.
Cook the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a saucepan or heatproof bowl over a bain-marie until thick. Remove from the heat, add the butter pieces, stir to incorporate and place in the fridge until completely cooled.
Pour the lemon curd inside the baked tartlet shells and smooth with a spatula. Place tartlets in the fridge while you prepare the topping.
Whip the egg whites in your stand mixer until soft peaks form. Meanwhile, cook the sugar syrup to 118°C (244°F). Pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites, then whip at high speed until stiff peaks form in the meringue.
Place the meringue in a pastry bag with a St Honoré tip. Decorate the top of the lemon tarts. Then use a kitchen blowtorch to burn the meringue topping.
– Blind bake Tart Shells: Before adding the lemon filling, pre-bake your mini tart shells until they're lightly golden. – Strain the Lemon Curd: After making your lemon curd, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps or pieces of zest. This gives your tarts a smooth, creamy texture. – Chill Before Serving: Allow the mini lemon tarts to set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This helps firm up the lemon curd and makes the tarts easier to handle and more delicious. – 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.