Ridiculously Easy Lemon Curd Shortbread Tarts Recipe
These Ridiculously Easy Lemon Curd Tarts feature a buttery, crisp shortbread shell filled with tangy, smooth lemon curd made quickly in the microwave. Perfectly portioned mini tarts baked to golden perfection, they are an impressive yet simple dessert that’s sure to delight and impress at any gathering.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Shortbread Tart Shells
- 8 ounces very soft butter (2 sticks), preferably salted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- ½ to 1 cup Ridiculously Easy Microwave Lemon Curd
Instructions
- Prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray two 12-cup mini muffin pans or one 24-cup mini muffin pan well with baking spray. Rub each cup, including the top edges, with a paper towel to ensure thorough coating.
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, stir together the soft butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Sprinkle in the corn starch and stir until completely smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Stir from the bottom up, initially dough will look shaggy and dry but continue mixing until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a smooth clump.
- Portion dough: Divide the dough evenly into 24 pieces (approximately 25-26 grams each). Squeeze each piece gently and roll between palms into round balls, warming and compressing the dough slightly for easier shaping.
- Form tart shells: Place each dough ball into a prepared muffin cup and flatten gently with fingers. Using a ½ teaspoon measure, press an indention in the center of each dough disk to form a well. If cracks appear, gently press edges back together.
- Bake tart shells: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-24 minutes, or until the edges turn medium golden brown. The center wells will puff up during baking.
- Reform wells and cool: Remove from oven and immediately press down the centers again with the ½ teaspoon to reform wells. Let tart shells cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully lift out using a small sharp knife. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Fill tarts: Spoon 1 to 1½ teaspoons of microwave lemon curd into each cooled tart well. For a neater finish, pipe filling using a ziplock bag or pastry bag with a small snipped corner.
- Garnish and serve: Optionally garnish each tart with a mint sprig or small edible flower. For a final touch, dust with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve.
Notes
- Ensure butter is very soft for easy mixing but not melted.
- If dough cracks while shaping, moisten fingertips slightly to smooth edges.
- Use a digital scale to evenly portion dough balls for consistent tart sizes.
- Reforming the wells immediately after baking prevents them from puffing out and keeps room for filling.
- Store filled tarts in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for best freshness.
- To make the Ridiculously Easy Microwave Lemon Curd, use fresh lemons and microwave in short bursts stirring frequently until thickened.
