Mini Lemon Tartlets
In short: Crisp biscuit-crumb cups filled with silky, tangy lemon custard, baked in a muffin tin and topped with whipped cream. Easy to make ahead for parties. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Mini lemon tartlets are crumb-crust cups filled with a tangy, silky lemon custard. They bake in a standard muffin tin, so there is no pastry to roll and no tiny tart pans to buy, and each one is a bite or two. The filling is quick: eggs, sugar, lemon and cream whisked together and baked until barely set. A dollop of whipped cream balances the lemon. Make them a day ahead for parties and afternoon tea.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Mix the crushed crackers, melted butter and 12 g sugar until the crumbs look like wet sand. Press about 2 tablespoons firmly into the base and up the sides of each cup, using the back of a spoon or a small glass.
- Bake the shells for 8 minutes, until lightly golden. Take them out and lower the oven to 150°C (300°F).
- Whisk the eggs, yolk, 100 g sugar, lemon juice, zest, 80 ml cream and salt until smooth. Strain into a jug.
- Fill each shell nearly to the top with the lemon mixture. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the filling is just set at the edges and has a slight wobble in the center.
- Cool the tartlets in the tin for 15 minutes, then ease them out with a small knife and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Whip the 120 ml cream with the powdered sugar and top each tartlet with a small spoonful and a little extra zest.
Tips
- Strain the filling through a sieve for a smooth, bubble-free surface, and pour from a jug so you can fill the shells neatly.
- Take the tartlets out while they still wobble in the center. Overbaked lemon custard puffs, cracks and tastes eggy.
Questions and answers
Can I make lemon tartlets ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and chill them up to a day ahead and add the whipped cream just before serving. The empty shells can be baked 2 days ahead and kept airtight.
Why did my lemon filling puff up and crack?
The oven was too hot or the tartlets baked too long. Keep the temperature at 150°C (300°F) and remove them while the center still wobbles slightly.
Can I use lime or orange juice instead?
Lime works in the same amount. For orange, use 60 ml of orange juice plus 2 tablespoons of lemon juice so the filling stays tangy.
How long does it take to make Mini Lemon Tartlets?
About 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Mini Lemon Tartlets?
About 210 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 21 g of carbohydrates and 13 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 210 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 110 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
