This recipe is more about the pastry than it is about the filling but both are delicious. Pasta frolla is fast, simple and quick making it a great choice for dessert pastry bases. Made with eggs and a little sugar, this dough takes on a yellow tinge and makes for a delicious tart with a mild sweet taste.
You can use the pastry to prepare almost any dessert tart with ease. The tart au citron suggested here is prepared by filling the tartlets with lemon curd and then baked gently in the oven. These tartlets are full of lemony citrus flavors with a gentle sweetness that will make you want one daily.
Pasta Frolla and Tart au Citron
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This Pasta Frolla and Tart au Citron combines a simple, buttery pastry with a vibrant lemon curd filling, creating a dessert that’s both refreshing and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (43g) sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (200g) sugar for lemon curd
- 3 large eggs for lemon curd
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cubed for lemon curd
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Chop the butter into cubes and add it to the dry ingredients.
- On a lightly floured surface combine all the ingredients together by hand or with a food processor. Lightly beat the eggs and add to the flour mixture.
- Knead the ingredients to form a ball of dough. Cover with cling film and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.
- The dough can be frozen for up to 1.5 months and thawed in the refrigerator overnight before use.
- Bring a pot of water to boil in a container.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar at a high speed in a large bowl that can withstand heat and whose bottom can fit the top of the pot. The eggs and sugar should become light and fluffy.
- Add the lemon juice, zest, cornflour and butter and continue to whisk at a high speed.
- Move the bowl on to the top of the pot taking care to make sure the boiling water does not come into contact with the base of the bowl.
- Keep whisking the mixture till it begins to thicken. This will occur slowly but you must not stop whisking.
- Once thickened to a custard-like consistency, remove from the pot and allow to cool. This can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.
- Assembling the tart
- Grease six 3 inch tartlet pans with melted butter.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and then line the tartlet pans with the sheet of pastry. Cut and trim off any excess off the edges of the top of the tartlets.
- Prick the surface of the pastry with a fork and bake blinded with pie beads or dried beans for 10 minutes at 375F in a preheated oven.
- Remove the tartlets and fill them immediately with the lemon curd.
- Garnish with slivered almonds if desired and put them back in the oven for another 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pans.
- Remove the tartlets from their pans and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Notes
Pasta frolla can be used as a base for various dessert tarts. The dough is versatile and can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. The tart is best served chilled and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For a twist, try adding a bit of vanilla extract to the lemon curd.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tart slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 110
Why not give the quantities for butter in metric as well?
Nik,
this look lovely. i’m eager to try this tomorrow for a party
quick question…i have a 9inch tart tin. do u think i could recreate this tartlet with the same quantities in my tart tin?
i know it seems trivial but i am a novice baker and want to make sure before i end up with egg on my face in front of guests.
Hi Meera,
It is great to hear from you. You will be fine with the amounts listed in this recipe as they are calculated for one 9 inch tart pan or 6 mini tarts. My blog http://www.abrowntable.com uses the same recipe for a ginger based lemon curd tart too. Good luck and I am sure your guests will be highly impressed with your dessert !
Thank u Nik, it was absolutely lovely. We loved it n so did our guests. I’m making this again for sure…. n this time just for me n the hubby to enjoy ;)
These are wonderful Nik…stunning and delicious!
so wonderful: it must tingle your taste buds!
It does just that, you must try it out and let me know what you think.
Beautiful tart
Thank you so much, Tamara.