Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe

This zesty Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets recipe is a teatime classic as well as being visually stunning! Baking the lemon custard gently makes the filling go silky and smooth, which along with the crisp sweet pastry adds a buttery richness to these tartlets that is so refreshing on a sunny afternoon.

Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe Ingredients

• The Sweet Pastry:
  • 175g (6 oz) plain flour
  • 100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, chilled and cubed
  • 25g (1 oz) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 egg yolk (large)
  • 1 tbsp cold water
• The Lemon Filling:
  • 3 large eggs
  • 75ml (3 fl oz) double cream
  • 100g (4 oz) caster sugar
  • 2 lemons (juice and finely grated zest)
• The Garnish:
  • Icing sugar, for dusting
  • Fresh raspberries or mint leaves (optional)

How To Make Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe

1. Make the pastry: Measure the flour, icing sugar, and chilled butter into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and water, then pulse briefly until the dough just comes together. (Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour by hand).
2. Chill: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead very briefly to smooth it, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Roll and line: Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5). Roll out the pastry thinly. Using a round cutter, cut out 12 circles and line a 12-hole patty tin (tartlet tin). Prick the bases with a fork.
4. Blind bake: Line each pastry case with a small piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and bake for another 3-4 minutes until the pastry is pale golden and sandy to the touch. Lower the oven temperature to 160°C (140°C fan/325°F/Gas 3).
5. Make the filling: In a bowl, whisk the eggs, double cream, caster sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together until well combined. Transfer the mixture to a jug for easy pouring.
6. Fill and bake: Carefully pour the lemon custard into the pastry cases, filling them right to the top. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the filling is set but still has a slight wobble in the center.
7. Cool: Leave the tartlets to cool in the tin for 10 minutes (they are fragile when hot), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Serve: Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

Recipe Tips!

• The Jug Trick: Transferring the filling to a jug with a spout is essential! Trying to spoon liquid custard into tiny pastry cases usually results in spills that stick the pastry to the tin.
• Zest First: Always zest your lemons before you juice them. It is nearly impossible to grate the skin of a squashed, juiced lemon without grating your knuckles!
• Pastry Temperature: Ensure your butter is ice cold. If the butter melts during the mixing stage, the pastry will be greasy and tough rather than crisp and short.
• The Wobble: Do not overbake! The filling should still tremble slightly when you take them out. The residual heat will finish setting the custard as they cool, ensuring a silky texture rather than a rubbery one.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe?

This Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe is the jewel in the crown of any Afternoon Tea stand! A pot of Earl Grey Tea is the traditional pairing, as the bergamot notes echo the lemon zest beautifully. For a summer garden party, serve them alongside a bowl of fresh Raspberries or Strawberries; the red fruit looks spectacular against the yellow filling! If you are feeling indulgent, a dollop of Clotted Cream on the side balances the sharp citrus tang perfectly.

How To Store Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe

• Refrigerate: Store the cooled tartlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The pastry will inevitably soften slightly over time.
• Room Temp: Bring them out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off the pastry.
• Freeze: You can freeze the baked pastry cases (without filling) for up to 3 months. The finished tartlets do not freeze well as the custard can weep.

Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Fat: 10g
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated per tartlet.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Apple and Lemon Curd Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Apple and Walnut Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry Bramley Apple Cake Recipe

Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe

Author: Chloe Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 35 minutesRest time: 30 minutesTotal time:1 hour 35 minutesCooking Temp:100 CServings:12 servingsEstimated Cost:25 $Calories:180 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Tiny, elegant tarts featuring a buttery sweet pastry shell filled with a smooth, baked lemon cream custard. A classic British teatime treat.

Ingredients

• 175g flour, 100g butter, 25g icing sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 eggs
• 75ml double cream
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 lemons

Instructions

1. Pulse flour, sugar, and butter; add yolk to form dough.
2. Chill dough for 30 mins.
3. Roll out and line tartlet tin; prick bases.
4. Blind bake 10-14 mins at 190°C.
5. Whisk eggs, cream, sugar, and lemon.
6. Pour into cases; bake 15-20 mins at 160°C.
7. Cool and dust with icing sugar.

Notes

• Use a jug to pour the filling without spilling.
• Lower the oven temp for the custard so it doesn’t curdle.
• Chill the pastry well to prevent shrinkage.

Keywords:Mary Berry Lemon Tartlets Recipe