Mini Tarte au Citron (French Lemon Tart)
Equipment
- Medium saucier
- whisk
- Silicone spoon or spatula
- 4 cup measuring cup with spout
- Wire mesh strainer to fit the measuring cup
Ingredients
- 6 4-inch Pâte Sucrée Tart Shells, baked and cooled (See Tip 1)
- ¾ cup (6 ounces, 180 ml) Freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 5 lemons) (See Tip 2)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- ¾ cup (5.25 ounces, 150 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 4 large egg yolks
- 12 tablespoons (6 ounces, 170 grams) European-style unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes (See Tip 3)
Instructions
- Add the sugar and lemon zest directly to a medium All-Clad saucier. Using your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar for about 1 minute until the sugar becomes fragrant and slightly damp. This helps release the essential oils from the zest, resulting in a brighter lemon flavor.
- Add the lemon juice, butter, eggs, and egg yolks to the saucier over medium-low to low heat. Whisk continuously until the butter melts and the mixture thickens (10 to 20 minutes). Do not allow the mixture to boil
- Immediately pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a large Pyrex measuring cup with a pouring spout. Using a flexible silicone spoon or spatula, gently press the curd through the strainer. Discard any remaining zest or coagulated egg proteins.
- Place each baked tart shell on a digital kitchen scale. Tare the scale. Pour the curd into each shell until it reaches 90 grams.
- Refrigerate the filled tarts, uncovered, until completely set, about 3 to 4 hours.
- Yield: Six 4-inch mini tarts.
Video
Tips/Notes
- Full recipe and tips for the Pâte Sucrée pastry.
- I would avoid using bottled lemon juice, which lacks the brightness needed for this classic French-style tart.
- European-style butter gives the filling a noticeably silkier texture and a richer finish than American-style butter. I used Plugrà unsalted butter.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 7gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 302mgSodium: 91mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1033IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
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