Lemon Berry Tarts – Delicious Fruit and Custard Pastry

Categories:

Desserts, Recipes

October 25, 2011

by Linda, the Hungry Host

October 25, 2011

These mini-tarts were a smash hit at a recent luncheon we hosted at our house. It was a fantastic boost to my self-esteem to watch each tart disappear one by one.

The star of these treats is the tangy but sweet custard filling which is complimented by fresh berries and a sweet glaze. I used a really simple oil pastry crust. This crust worked well because I made the tarts the night before and needed something that would not get soft or soggy overnight in the fridge. If you plan to serve the tarts right away, a nice flaky butter crust would work well too.

Here are the three main steps:

Make and bake the pastry cups.
Make and chill the lemon curd.
Fill the pastry cups with lemon curd and top with berries and a homemade sweet glaze.

In a pinch, you can use prepared pastry (such as ready-made cups or chilled puff pastry or pie crust dough) and jarred lemon curd. Of course, homemade is usually better!

Lemon Berry Tart Recipe

Part 1: Pastry Cups

You can buy prepared cups or make your own!

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cold milk

Heat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Measure the vegetable oil and the milk into the same liquid measuring cup but do not stir. Add to the flour/salt mixture; mix briskly to combine until the dough comes together into a ball.

Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half to 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of wax paper.

Roll it out as thinly as possible! Cut the dough into 3.5 inch circles.

Carefully push the circles into muffin tins. You can either use non-stick silicone muffin pans (as I did), or regular tin pans.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely.

Part 2: Lemon Curd

While your pastry cups are cooling, prepare and chill the lemon curd.

Use this easy recipe for lemon curd.

Part 3: Fill and Top Tarts

Ingredients:

Prepared pastry cups
Lemon curd
Assorted berries (raspberries and blueberries work wonderfully!)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water, plus 2 tablespoons
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch or cornflour

Instructions:

Prepare the sugar glaze (optional if you’re strapped for time). Boil the water and sugar over high heat in a sauce pan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the other 2 tablespoons of water. Add to the boiling sugar mixture. Whisk quickly for two minutes and then reduce heat. Continue stirring until the glaze has thickened. Remove from heat and let sit until cooled to just above room temperature (you don’t want to custard to melt).

Fill the pastry cups three-fourths full with lemon curd.