Lemon Tart Recipe
This lemon tart recipe makes classic bite seized lemon tarts that have a serious citrus punch (and a touch of Limoncello for those who dare!). They're quick and easy to make; these tarts can be made in advance, and will create a massive hit of nostalgia of an upmarket (and slightly alcoholic) version of the old Mr Kipling’s Lemon Tarts.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: Makes 12 mini tarts
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry - 1 roll (c.300g)
Lemons (unwaxed) - 3
Double Cream - 120g
Caster Sugar - 120g
Eggs - 4 medium
(Optional) Limoncello - 2 tablespoons
Icing sugar to dust on serving
Specialist Equipment
Digital Thermometer
Cocktail Sticks - 15 - 20
Muffin tray (and correspondingly sized cookie cutters)
Method
Lemon Tart Step One - Lemon Rind
First up is to make the little lemon rind twirls that go on the top of the tarts. Using a peeler (or mandoline, or sharp knife) peel the rind from one of the lemons as thinly as possible - making very long pieces of rind. Then slice the long pieces into thin strips (like in the photo). You’ll need around 15 -20 strips.
These will still be too touch to twirl so you’ll need to gently boil them, add them to a pan with a little water in and on a low heat, bring the pan to a boil. Boil for a couple of minutes, the remove from the heat and transfer the peel onto a paper towel.
Lemon Tart Step Two - Lemon Twirling
Next up is to shape the lemon twirls. To do this we’ll need to tightly wrap the lemon rind strips around a cocktail stick (or skewer). It’s a bit fiddly, but ‘stick’ with it…. (terribly pun, I’m sorry!). Careful not to pull too much on the rind, they’re fragile.
Once you’ve got one of the the rinds wound around the stick have a look at the next step (you’ll be wrapping them in cling film). Do step two and three for each twirl (you’ll need to make 15 - and to be safe 20 - of them in all).
Lemon Tart STEP Three - Lemon Rind Wrapping
Once you’ve got each of the rinds in place, wrap it in a small piece of clingfilm to hold it’s shape.
Then, once you’ve made all 15-20 of them, place them in the fridge for at least 30 mins to help set the shape.
Lemon Tart STEP Four - Tart Pastry
I’m fanatical about food perfection, but am still happy to cheat on pastry. The store bought stuff’s great. If you particularly want to make the pastry, then would recommend a ‘sweet shortcrust’ or just classic short recipe, but for those with me on saving a bit of time, we’ll already ave the pastry.
Take the pastry out of the fridge about 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to start. Then roll the pastry down to the width of a 50p piece (around 2mm) - essentially very thin. It will help to either four the surface or roll the pastry to size between two sheets of baking parchment.
Lemon Tart STEP Five - Tart Casings
Lightly oil (with groundnut or light olive oil) your muffin tin to stop the tarts sticking. If you know your muffing tin’s prone to stick then you may need to cut and put disks of baking parchment in the bottom of each hole.
Once that’s done and your pastry’s to the desired thinness, then cut you pastry to shape, place in the tray and using a fork pierce the bottom of each tart casing (this will stop it bubbling up when you cook them.
Place the tray in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to cool back down.
Whilst this is cooling, pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
Lemon Tart STEP SIX - Blind and Open Bake
Take the tray with the tart casings in out of the freezer after the 10-15 minutes, and place on top of each tart a square of baking parchment (greaseproof paper) that’s been scrunched up and straightened out again - scrunching it first allows it to mould to the tart casing better and reduces surface area and the chances of ti sticking to the pastry.
Fill each parchment with something to allow the casings to blind bake; baking beans, dried rice, dried pulses e.g. lentils, or coins - 5p, 10p, 20p, etc.
Then blind bake in the oven for 15 minutes, take out and remove the parchment and whatever you had weighing them down. Return the uncovered casings back to the oven for 10 minutes.
Then take out and allow to cool (whilst they’re cooling, you can move onto the next step).
Lemon Tart STEP Seven- Lemon Tart Mix
Pre-heat the oven to 120°C.
Next up is to make the filling. In a bowl, stir together until combined, the: rind of the remaining 2 lemons (finely grated), double cream, caster sugar, eggs, the juice of one of the lemons, and the Limoncello (if you’re not using Limoncello then just add the juice of another lemon).
Add the pie casings back to the oven just to warm back up.
Add the lemon tart mix to a pan with a thermometer connected. Over a low heat, heat the mix up to 62°C (this is just below the temperature were the mix will set so you’ll need to keep stirring otherwise you’ll end up with it setting at the bottom of the pan).
Once the mix reaches 62°C strain the mix using a sieve into a jug, ready to pour into the casing.
Lemon Tart STEP Eight - Final Bake
Open the over door and pull the shelf part out with the tart casings on. Pour the filling right up to the top in each tart casing (it' won’t expand any more so don’t worry about it overflowing whilst it cooks).
Return the now filled pie casings to the oven and bake for around 15-20 minutes, until they’re ‘set’ to the touch - the internal temperature of the mix will be at 70°C at this point.
Then remove form the oven an cool. take them out of the tray once they’ve cooled a little, they’ll now keep in the fridge for a day or so until ready to serve (just don’t put the toppings on them yet!)
Lemon Tart STEP Nine - Lemon Tart
Final step is serving them, place them on a chopping board and using a fine sieve at a height (c.30cm above the tarts), sprinkle the icing sugar over the tarts.
Then carefully unwrap the clingfilm from the lemon rind twirls, take them off the cocktail sticks, gently pull them into the shape you want, placing them on the centre of the tarts. Then transfer the tarts to whatever you’re serving them on (it’s best to do this last as the icing sugar goes everywhere when you’re sprinkling it!)
And that’s it, hope you enjoy!