Lemon raspberry tarts are shortcrust pastry shells filled with lemon curd and topped with fresh raspberries; they are easy to make and incredibly delicious.
These lemon raspberry tarts are one of my favorite desserts. Many of my favorite desserts are a combination of lemon and berries, such as this amazing Raspberry Lemon Curd Cake or this No-Bake Lemon Curd Cheesecake with Blueberries.
These lemon raspberry tartlets are incredibly delicious and easy to make, which is always a plus! I came up with this recipe to use up some leftover curd and fresh raspberries from my garden. This is an updated post; the tartlets were one of my first recipes from years ago, but I still make them often because everyone loves them. They're perfect for serving guests!
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Recipe ingredients
Pastry shells: flour, butter, and sugar.
Dried beans for blind baking the pastry shells.
Lemon curd: You can buy a jar, make your own favorite recipe, or try my Thermomix lemon curd recipe (if you have a Thermomix). Curd from a jar works perfectly well.
Raspberries: Definitely fresh, beautiful raspberries.
You can use other berries instead, although I have to admit that raspberries will always be my first choice in this combination. However, blueberries or blackberries would make a nice change. Or a combination of different berries.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Cheat's recipe!
Use ready-made pastry shells, fill them with lemon curd from a jar and top them with fresh raspberries. Ready in 5 minutes.
Check out this Romanian Lemon Cake, too; it's amazing! Or make this easy Lemon Slice Recipe.
How to make lemon raspberry tarts?
Make the pastry: Combine pastry ingredients in a food processor. Transfer to the working surface and knead quickly until the dough comes together. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
Roll and cut the pastry: The easiest way to cut the pastry is to use a cutter slightly larger than the pastry tins. Since I don’t have one, I always use a bowl instead. I have various sizes of bowls, and I choose the one that fits best.
Cut circles large enough to fill the tartlet's forms, edges included, and place them in the forms. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Place a small piece of parchment paper onto the dough and fill the forms with dried beans.
Bake the shells. Once baked, carefully remove the beans and the parchment paper. Bake for another 3 to 5 minutes until fully cooked, achieving a light golden color with slightly brown edges.
Assemble the lemon tarts: Stir the lemon curd with a spoon and place a few spoonfuls on each tartlet, leveling it off. Top with fresh raspberries. If you like, you can also add whipped cream and tiny mint leaves for an extra touch.
Good to know!
The pastry/tartlet size is not so important. I used six small tins with a 3.5-inch (9 cm) diameter and two slightly larger silicone forms measuring 5 inches (12 cm), and the baking time was the same for all.
- You can use mini tart tins or make the pastry shells in a muffin tin (see this recipe for mini pastry shells). Alternatively, you can create one regular-sized tart shell (9-inch/23 cm diameter), fill it with the curd, and top it with berries.
Blind baking prevents the crust from puffing up. The beans can be reused multiple times, so let them cool and store them in a jar.
Make in advance
Make the tart shells a few hours before filling, as they will need time to cool completely. You can also prepare the pastry shells the day before. Once cooled, store them in airtight containers at room temperature for up to two days.
If you’re making the curd yourself, it's best to prepare it a day in advance, as it will need to cool and set in the refrigerator. You can even make the curd a week ahead of time if you like; it keeps very well in the fridge.
How to store?
The lemon curd tartlets are best served the day they are assembled. You can make the shells and the filling in advance, but only assemble the tarts a few hours before serving.
The refrigerated leftovers will still be delicious after a day or two, but the pastry will become a little soggy. That never stopped us from devouring all the leftovers, and I only have leftovers when I make a double (or even triple) batch of the tarts.
Lemon Raspberry Tarts
Equipment
- 8-10 Tartlet forms Notes 1,2
- Food processor
- Beans for blind baking
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour 7 oz/ 200 g, Note 2
- 1 pinch salt
- 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar 30 g
- 2-3 tablespoon ice-cold water
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter very cold, 3.5 oz/ 100 g
- 1 jar lemon curd
- 7-10 oz raspberries or other berries, 200-300 g
Instructions
- Brush the tartlet forms with a little melted butter and place them in the fridge.
- Dough: Cut the butter into small pieces. Place the flour, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water, and butter in a food processor and mix until everything becomes crumbly. Empty the food processor on the table and knead the crumbs very quickly. If necessary, add another tablespoon of ice-cold water. Form a ball, wrap it in plastic foil, and place it in the fridge for half an hour.⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter/ 3.5 oz/ 100 g + 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour/ 7 oz/ 200 g + 1 pinch salt + 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar/ 30 g +2-3 tablespoon ice-cold water
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
- Roll out the dough and cut circles large enough to fill the tartlet forms, edges included, place the circles in the forms. Pierce the dough all over with a fork.
- Bake blind: Cut pieces of parchment paper a little bit larger than the forms. Place over the dough and fill in an even layer of dried beans. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the beans and the parchment paper. The edges should be golden brown; the bottom should be cooked through but not become too tough (it will still have a light color). If the base is undercooked, remove the beans and parchment paper and then bake the tartlets for another 3 to 5 minutes until very lightly golden.
- Let cool in the forms for about 15 minutes, remove carefully, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Fill: Stir the lemon curd with a spoon. Place a few spoonfuls on each tartlet, level, and add some raspberries on top.1 jar lemon curd
- Wash the berries and let them dry very well on paper towels. Ensure they are completely dry before placing them on the finished tartlets.7-10 oz raspberries / 200-300 g
- Garnish: You can garnish with whipped cream and tiny mint leaves if you like.
Notes
- Tartlet form size: I used six tart shells, 3.5 inches/ 9 cm, and two 5 inches/ 12 cm. The size of the forms is unimportant; the baking time remained the same for both sizes.
- Other tins: You can also make the shells in a muffin tin and follow these instructions for making tart shells. Or you can bake one large pie shell and fill it with lemon curd and raspberries.
- Measurements: Always use a digital kitchen scale when baking (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); it yields the best result. Cup measuring is very imprecise.
LetsCurry says
Adina
I loved your images, such vibrant and clear.
Lemon tartlets sound like a great dessert to me, anything with lemon calls summer. Perfect.