I’ve always loved these little fruit tarts, they’re just so cute and elegant. They were one of my most popular items when I used to make custom desserts. And the best part is they are so easy to make.
Shortbread Tart Shell Recipes
First thing’s first, you want to make the shortbread tart shells. I always use my lemon shortbread sugar cookie recipe, because I like extra lemon flavor. But these would be yummy with my almond, vanilla bean, or even lavender shortbread sugar cookies.
I have 31 shortbread sugar cookie recipes that all work for tart shells, and while not all of them pair well with lemon curd and fruit, there are several that would. Try a matcha fruit tart! Or earl grey fruit tarts for a tea party.
Shortbread Sugar Cookie Recipes
I have a comprehensive tutorial on how to make the tartlet shells. There are step-by-step pictures, more recipes, and tips and tricks.
Tart Pans
I have a ton of mini tart pans that I’ve purchased over the years, but these tart pans are my absolute favorite. They make pretty little tartlets, don’t rust, they’re dishwasher safe, the perfect size for 2-3 bite tartlets, and best of all, the tarts pop right out of them and do not stick.
You can also use a muffin tin if you already have that on hand and don’t want to purchase new bakeware.
Lemon Curd
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret here! You can buy pre-made lemon curd for these tarts. Make some mini tart shells, and buy some lemon curd and fruit, and you’re done!
Last year I threw a tea party for my friend’s 40th, and by the time I cleaned, decorated, made favors, 6 different kinds of tea sandwiches, 3 flavors of scones, cheese plates, and the shells for the tarts, I was tired of baking and cooking, so I bought a jar of lemon curd, and called it a day! I also purchased the macarons, because I hate making them, and Trader Joe’s sells surprisingly good frozen macs.
However, lemon curd is very easy to make. You simmer lemon juice, lemon zest, water, cornstarch, and sugar until thick, then whisk in some butter.
If you want a creamier lemon filling, stir together equal parts lemon curd and mascarpone, and then fold in some whipped cream.
Step 1:
- Sift together 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch with ½ cup white sugar. Add to saucepan on medium-low heat with ½ cup of boiling water, and whisk to combine.
Step 2:
- Lightly whisk together 2 egg yolks in a glass bowl. Then slowly drizzle in half of the sugar/water mixture while whisking, so you don’t cook your eggs.
- Pour egg mixture into saucepan.
- Whisk in ⅓ cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.
Step 3:
- Simmer on low, stirring frequently, until curd reaches desired thickness. It can take 10-15 minutes to thicken up.
Step 4:
- To test thickness, drop a spoon full of curd onto a cool countertop or glass plate, and allow to sit for a minute.
- Your cooled curd should be the consistency of thick jam.
Step 5:
- When curd is desired thickness, remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Allow curd to cool, then transfer to a piping bag or container, and refrigerate until fully set.
- Curd will last in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months.
Tart Assembly
Fruit tarts are best eaten within a few hours of assembling, as the shells will begin to get soggy and cut fruit will start to wilt. I’ll typically make my tart shells and curd a day ahead, and then assemble the tarts about an hour before serving.
- Pipe or spoon curd into shells. Make sure not to overfill them, so curd doesn’t spill out when you add fruit.
- Add fruit, and serve. Told you these were easy to make.
Fruit
These tarts are good with pretty much any soft fruit you like. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, lychee, dragon fruit, papaya, mango, mandarin orange, peaches, cherries, pineapple. You really can’t go wrong here!
To Make Ahead
If you need to make these tarts a day ahead of serving, or perhaps you need to travel some distance with them, there are a couple things that you can do to make sure they don’t get soggy, and the fruit stays pretty.
- Brush inside of tart shells with an egg wash, and bake at 350°F for a couple minutes. This provides a barrier between the shells and the curd, so the shells don’t get soggy.
- Brush fruit with a glaze. Microwave a ½ cup of apricot jam (or any light colored jam/jelly) and 1 tablespoon of water for 20-30 second increments until jam is melted. Then brush glaze onto fruit with a pastry brush.
Lemon Curd Fruit Tartlets
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- spatula
- whisk
- mixing bowls
- paring knife
- cling wrap
- 3" round cookie cutter
- cookie sheet
- large knife
- tart tamper, shot glass, or condiment ramekin
- saucepan
Ingredients
Vanilla Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon emulsion or extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Lemon Curd
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup boiling water
- 2 egg yolks lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
dough and tartlet shells
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour and cornstarch) together and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars with paddle attachment, on medium-low speed, until fluffy and pale in color (about 5 minutes).
- Add egg and extract and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the paddle with a spatula, and then continue to mix on low speed for another 30 seconds to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients, all at once, and mix on low speed just until dough starts to come together and no dry bits remain. Do not overmix.
- Turn dough out onto cling wrap, tightly wrap, and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
- Knead, roll out ¼" thick using flour, cut out 3" circles of cookie dough, and gently press dough circles into sides and bottoms of tart pans.
- Use a tart tamper, shot glass, or condiment ramekin to press dough flat into bottom of tart pans. Remove excess dough from tart pans with knife or by gently pressing with the palm of your hand.
- Gently press dough against sides of tart pans so that it rises about ⅛" above the top of the tart pan.
- Freeze filled tart pans until dough is firm before baking.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Fully bake for 18-25 minutes, until edges begin to darken in color.
- Immediately after removing shells from oven, use your tart tamper, shot glass, or condiment ramekin to tamp down inside of tart shell while still hot.
- Once cool, remove shells from pans.
lemon curd and tart assembly
- Sift together cornstarch with white sugar.
- Add to saucepan on medium-low heat with ½ cup of boiling water, and whisk to combine.
- Lightly whisk together egg yolks in a glass bowl. Then slowly drizzle in half of the sugar/water mixture while whisking, so you don't cook your eggs.
- Pour egg mixture into saucepan, and whisk in lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Simmer on low, stirring frequently, until curd reaches desired thickness. It can take 10-15 minutes to thicken up.
- To test thickness, drop a spoon full of curd onto a cool countertop or glass plate, and allow to sit for a minute. Your cooled curd should be the consistency of thick jam.
- When curd is desired thickness, remove from heat and whisk in butter.
- Allow curd to cool, then transfer to a piping bag or container, and refrigerate until fully set.
- Pipe or spoon curd into shells. Make sure not to overfill them, so curd doesn’t spill out when you add fruit. Top with fruit, and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Pressing the dough above the height of the tart pans will prevent the sides of the tart shells from sinking down too low during baking.
- Freezing shells for 10-20 minutes before baking will prevent your dough from shrinking down too much during baking. Freeze until they feel firm to the touch.
- Tamping down inside of shells after baking will allow more room for filling.
- Baked shells will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month.
- These tarts are good with pretty much any soft fruit you like. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, lychee, dragon fruit, papaya, mango, mandarin orange, peaches, cherries, pineapple. You really can’t go wrong here!
- Lemon curd will last in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or you can freeze for up to 3 months.
-
If you need to make these tarts a day ahead of serving, or perhaps you need to travel some distance with them, there are a couple things that you can do to make sure they don’t get soggy, and the fruit stays pretty.
-
- Brush inside of tart shells with an egg wash, and bake at 350°F for a couple minutes. This provides a barrier between the shells and the curd, so the shells don’t get soggy.
-
- Brush fruit with a glaze. Microwave a ½ cup of apricot jam (or any light colored jam/jelly) and 1 tablespoon of water for 20-30 second increments until jam is melted. Then brush glaze onto fruit with a pastry brush.
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