Mini Lemon Tarts

by Andrea Tremblay-Legendre

Since mother's day is coming up, I thought I would make a dessert that I know my mom would like and lemon tarts are one of her favorite desserts!

Yields 6-8 mini tarts

Crust
1 cup cold butter
3 cups flour
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Combine the flour and salt in a big bowl.
  3. Cut in the butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture ressemble a coarse meal.
  4. Add the water and vanilla and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands. Form a disc with your dough, wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  5. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out to a thickness of 5mm. Press the dough into 6-8 small pie pans and prick with a fork.
  6. Place pie weights in each tart and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool down.

Lemon Curd
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
Zest of 1 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp butter
2 egg yolks

1. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add the water, lemon juice and zest and mix well.
2. Cook on medium heat until it boils while stirring constantly. Take off heat and add the butter. Mix until well combined.
3. Beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy.
4. Incorporate 1 tbsp of the warm mixture into the egg mixture and combine right away. Repeat this step until most of the warm mixture is combined with the eggs.
5. Pour the mix back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat until it boils. Take off the heat.
6. Pour the mixture into your tart crust and let cool down.

Meringue
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

  1. Beat the egg whites at medium speed. Once it starts to look like foam, add the cream tartar.
  2. Once it starts to form soft pics, add the sugar gradually and vanilla.
  3. It's ready once it forms stiff pics. Pour the meringue in a piping bag with a round or star tip. Decorate your tarts with meringue and toast the meringue with a blowtorch. Decorate with sprinkles (optional)