Mini Tarte au Citron (French Lemon Tart)

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Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Chula King

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)

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 for 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.

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.