Lemon Tartlets

It's the First Day of Spring!! 💐

I know that there are a lot of Fall lovers out there - sweater weather people.  But for me, Spring trumps Fall.  It's the time of year when my yard is bursting with blooming cherry trees, purple phlox, lenten roses and delicate yellow daffodils.🪻 Warmer weather + longer days - what's not to like?🌞

​It's also the season that I get to move all of my plants that have been living inside for the last 4 months - back out to their natural habitat.  I'm pretty sure we regained at least 20% more square footage in the house after the plant evection process.😅 

There's so much that I love about Spring but if there's one thing that puts a damper on my Spring mood - it's pollen.🥴 If you live in the South, you know about pollen.  That layer of yellow dust that permeates absolutely everything from March through May. ⚠️  

I haven't yet learned to embrace the pollen that comes with Spring but I do accept it now.  It's taken me a whole lot of years of living in the South but I think I'm finally gotten used to having a yellow car and a yellow porch for a couple of months every year.  I used to wash everything down every couple of days to keep the pollen at bay but now I just patiently wait until pollen season is over before I drag out the pressure washer.

​So in the spirit of Spring and the yellow hue that everything seems to have right now, I've decided to share one of my favorite yellow desserts - lemon tarts.  Hope you enjoy!!🍋 😂

Lemon Tartlets
Crust
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
3 3/4 + 2 Tablespoons flour

Filling
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter

Topping
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

Cream together butter, sugar and salt for crust. 

Beat in eggs. 

Stir in flour until crumbly.  

Form into a disk.  

Wrap disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-24 hours. 

Roll disk to 1/4" round on floured countertop. 

Use a round cookie cutter to cut disks out of dough 1" larger than tart pan. 

Press disks into greased tart pan molds.  Prick the bottoms with a fork.  Freeze 15 minutes. 

Bake 10-15 minutes at 325. 

Combine eggs, yolk, lemon juice, sugar and salt in bowl as a double boiler.

Cook and stir 10 minutes until thickened. 

Whisk in butter. 

Use an immersion blender to whip curd until light and fluffy.

Fill cooled crusts with curd and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 

Make whipped cream and pipe on top of cooled curd.  Garnish with fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves. 

​Ciao!

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