These mini lemon lavender tarts are the perfect springtime dessert! Made with a buttery, floral lavender crust that's filled with tart, juicy lemon curd, these tarts are the best vibrant treat to enjoy on a sunny spring day.
If you want a bright, zesty dessert in time for the warmer weather days of spring, these mini lemon lavender tarts are the treat for you! They're tangy, they're delicate, they're floral, and they taste like spring in every bite. The crust is a buttery lavender shortbread, and the lemon curd is tart, vibrant, and packed with flavor. Adding a bit of lavender on top, or even some edible flowers, makes these tarts an adorable bite-sized goodie to enjoy for Easter, as a gift to mom on Mother's Day, or just when the sun is shining and the flowers are blooming!
Here are some more spring recipes you'll love: Lavender Berry Cupcakes, Brown Sugar Blackberry Scones, and Hard Cider Mimosas.
Ingredients & Equipment
You’ll need the following ingredients and equipment to make these mini lemon lavender tarts:
- Mini tart pans
- Baking sheet
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Lemons
- Vanilla extract
- Lavender
- Cornstarch
- Salt
Customize This Recipe!
There are a few different ways you can customize this recipe:
- To zest or not to zest. The lemon zest is optional in this recipe - it will make your curd slightly grainy, but will add even more tangy lemon flavor!
- Have fun with decorating. You can add a sprinkle of lavender, dust your tarts with powdered sugar directly before serving, or even garnish them with edible flowers for the ultimate springtime aesthetic!
Kitchen Tips:
- Utilize mise en place! Make sure you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin making this recipe - it will help save you time and keep you organized.
- Don't skip the straining. You want your curd to be as smooth as possible, so be sure to strain it through a sieve before cooling!
More spring recipes:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and/or review below to let me know how it turned out! To keep up with all my latest recipes, subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram. 🙂
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Mini Lemon Lavender Tarts
Ingredients
For the lemon curd:
- 4 egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the lavender crust:
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon lavender
- 8 tablespoon butter cold
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Instructions
For the lemon curd:
- In a small bowl, whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon zest together until combined.
- Whisk in the lemon juice until mixture is thinned.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter on low-medium heat.
- Pour the lemon juice mixture into the saucepan and stir until the mixture is thickened and bubbling.
- Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a jar or bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
For the crust:
- In a medium bowl, crush lavender together with granulated sugar using your fingers until the lavender has a grainier consistency.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or your hands until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla using a spatula, spoon, or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer until just combined. The dough should be rough, but will stick together when pressed in your hands.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 20 minutes.
- Prepare your mini tart pans with cooking spray or butter and place them on a baking tray.
- Press the chilled dough into your mini tart pans evenly. Dock the bottoms of the crusts with a fork, then put them back in the fridge to chill while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Bake the crusts on the baking tray for 15-20 minutes, until slightly puffed up and firm.
- Let the crusts cool completely before adding the lemon curd.
To assemble tarts:
- Remove the lemon curd from the fridge and add the vanilla extract to thin slightly, stirring well.
- Remove the crusts from each tart pan and place them on a serving platter or plate.
- Spoon the curd evenly into each crust and spread to the edges of the crust.
- Top with a sprinkle of lavender or dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
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