Tartelettes Au Citron Individual Lemon Tarts Recipes

VERY LEMONY TARTE AU CITRON

Steps:

• If not using a pre-made pastry case, butter a loose-bottom tarte dish. Roll out the pastry and line the dish with it. Bake blind for 15 mins at 190C. Leave to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 150C.
• Juice and zest the lemons. In a pan, pour the lemon juice and zest, sugar and the whole eggs. Mix with a spatula and cook at medium heat until the mixture bubbles (be careful not to let the eggs scramble), stirring continuously. Add the diced butter.
• Pour the mixture into the pastry case and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Place in oven for 15 mins. Remove and cool.

LEMON CURD TARTELETTES

Steps:

• Mix together sugar and eggs. Mix in lemon rind and lemon juice. Add melted butter. Cook on top of double boiler over boiling water until curd is thickened. Curd may be cooked in a microwave: on low or med-low for short time periods stirring between each time, until mix has thickened. This mix, while still hot will not be very thick. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cool mix at room temperature, then refrigerate until completely cold. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• To make tartelette shells:
• Roll chilled sugar dough on lightly floured counter or pastry cloth approximately 1/4" thick. Make a cluster of the tartelette molds and gently lift rolled dough on top of molds. Press down on molds. Shape each shell into the mold. Prick bottom with fork. Bake at 350 on cookie sheet until shell is golden brown. Cool at room temperature.
• To assemble:
• Spoon cold lemon curd mix into cooked cold shell. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

TARTELETTES AU CITRON (INDIVIDUAL LEMON TARTS)

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry shells. On a lightly floured surface, carefully roll out the dough to a thickness of one-eighth inch. Fit the pastry into six to eight four-inch tart tins. With your fingertips, carefully press the pastry into the pan and up the side, trying not to stretch it. Trim the overhang, leaving about a half-inch edge. Tuck this overhang inside the pan, pressing gently against the side to create a sturdy, double-sided shell. If you build the pastry a bit higher than the height of the pan, you have less problem with shrinkage. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Line the shells carefully with heavy-duty foil, pressing well into the edges so the pastry does not shrink while baking. Tuck the foil into the bottom of the tart shells. Prick the pastry through the foil with the tines of a fork. Fill with weights of rice or beans - making sure you get all the way into the edges - to prevent shrinkage.
• Place the filled tins on a baking sheet and bake just until the pastry begins to brown around the edges and seems firm enough to stand up by itself, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue baking until evenly light brown, about 10 to 15 more minutes. Watch the pastry carefully, for ovens vary and pastry can brown very quickly. Cool completely, for at least 15 minutes, before filling.
• Prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice, sugar and cream and whisk until well blended. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition. Strain the lemon cream through a sieve to remove any portions of yolk or impurities.
• Pour the lemon cream into the prepared tartlet shells, place them on a baking sheet and bake just until the lemon cream is firm in the center, about five more minutes. (Alternatively, to form a single large tart, the dough can be rolled into a 12-inch circle to fit a 10 1/2-inch tart shell. Continue as directed for the individual tarts, but increase baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.)