Lemon Curd Tartlets

I have a definite affinity for what I refer to as "little-bites" - bite-sized sweet treats like these rum balls, cherry-topped brownie bites, or mini mocha-toffee crunch cheesecakes that are just perfect for entertaining.  (Of course, if you just feel like indulging in a variety of tastes for dessert, "little bites" are perfect for that too!)  One of my all-time favorite "little-bites?" You guessed it! ... tart, tangy, and delicious lemon tartlets.  And these tiny tarts pack a huge lemon punch.  Lemon lovers beware, these are nearly impossible to resist.

In my humble opinion, fresh lemon juice is absolutely key for fabulous lemon curd.  So, to get started with Lemon Curd Tartlets, squeeze some fresh lemon juice. 

I use one of these hand-held juicers, which just so happens to be one of my favorite kitchen utensils.  Fav. or. ite.  I mean l-o-v-e love it!  It's easy to use, gets the most juice out of the lemons of any type of juicer I've used, and keeps the seeds out of the juice and juice off my hands.

One of my favorite utensils!

Combine the lemon juice with some sugar, cornstarch, and eggs in a saucepan.  Give it lots of stirring love with a whisk, and watch as it goes from a bright yellow watery mixture to a beautifully pale yellow and thickened lemon curd.

Whisking away to create beautiful-&-thick lemon curd

Once it's thickened, remove the curd from the heat and blend in some butter and lemon rind.

Melty, melty butter and yummy, yummy lemon

Then cool and refrigerate for several hours.  The curd will continue to thicken as it cools.

When you're ready to enjoy these delectable tartlets, spoon the curd into phyllo shells, top with a dab of yogurt-&-Cool Whip topping, and sprinkle with a lemon zest garnish.

Gorgeous tartlets

Aren't they cute?    Lemon lovers, make these.  I promise you won't regret it.



Lemon Curd Tartlets
Source:  Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Ingredients
2 packages mini phyllo shells

Lemon Curd:
1 c. + 2 T. sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. fresh lemon juice (approximately 5 lemons)
3 large eggs
2 T. butter
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Topping:
1 c. vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/2 c. Cool Whip
1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
Grated lemon rind for garnish


Directions
Prepare the Lemon Curd:
1.  Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan; stir with a whisk.  Stir in lemon juice and eggs.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.

2.  Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Add butter and lemon rind; stir gently until butter melts.  Spoon mixture into a bowl; cool.

3.  Cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.  Lemon curd will thicken as it cools.

Prepare the Topping:
4.  Pour off any liquid from the top of the yogurt.  Combine yogurt and grated lemon rind.  Fold in Cool Whip.

Assemble the Tartlets:
5.  Spoon lemon curd into phyllo shells, filling almost to the top.  Top with a dab of the yogurt topping.  Garnish with grated lemon rind.  Serve immediately. 

Note - The phyllo shells lose some of their crunch as they sit after filling, so it's best to assemble these tarts close to the time of serving.  They are certainly still delicious after the shells soften (I've happily eaten leftovers the next day!), but will be missing the textural crunch from the shells.

Enjoy!



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