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Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts Recipe

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3.9 from 26 reviews

These Mini Lemon Meringue Tarts feature a flaky homemade pie crust filled with tangy, smooth lemon curd and topped with light, fluffy Swiss meringue. Perfect bite-sized desserts that balance tartness and sweetness with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredients

Flaky Pie Crust

  • 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g)
  • 1 cup + 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold (311g)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup ice water (5.3 oz)

Lemon Curd

  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup sugar (100g)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (85g)

Swiss Meringue

  • 2 large egg whites
  • ½ cup sugar (100g)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and kosher salt. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and blend it with the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. Roll and Shape the Crust: Once chilled, roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into small circles to fit your mini tart pans or muffin tins. Gently press the dough circles into the pans and chill again for 15 minutes to prevent shrinking. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  3. Bake the Crust: Line each tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Remove the weights and parchment and bake another 5-7 minutes to ensure the crust is fully cooked and crisp. Cool completely before filling.
  4. Make the Lemon Curd: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until smooth. Strain the curd to remove zest bits and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Fill the Tart Shells: Spoon or pipe the cooled lemon curd evenly into each baked tart shell, smoothing the tops for a neat finish.
  6. Prepare the Swiss Meringue: Combine the egg whites, sugar, and pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) to ensure safety. Transfer to a stand mixer and beat on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form and the meringue has cooled to room temperature. Mix in the vanilla paste or extract.
  7. Top and Finish: Pipe or spread the Swiss meringue over each tart, creating decorative peaks if desired. Optionally, use a kitchen torch to lightly brown the meringue for an elegant look. Chill the tarts briefly before serving to set the meringue.

Notes

  • Ensure the butter for the crust is very cold to achieve a flaky texture.
  • Use fresh lemons for the zest and juice to enhance the lemon flavor in the curd.
  • Swiss meringue requires gentle heating to dissolve sugar and ensure safety from raw eggs.
  • Storing the tarts in the refrigerator helps keep the meringue fresh but bring to room temperature before eating for best flavor.
  • To make these gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend suitable for pastry.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/mini-lemon-meringue-tarts-recipe/