SHF#9: Lemon Curd Tartlets

click to enlarge

Summer afternoon, summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language. -Henry James (1843 - 1916)

Ah, the enduring allure of a garden party! Growing up, it's what I imagined went on regularly in England- with not a moment's thought for the season or the weather, of course. Even as an adult, after living in England for the past three years and having come to the realization that the majority of people here do not have garden parties, it's the idea, the photo in my head if you will, that persists.

In the end, as so often happens with this sort of thing, what I held so dear had nothing much to do with reality anyway; it was an amalgam of 'memories' culled from childhood books, movies watched on Sunday afternoons, and the pages of an aunt's 'Town & Country' magazines. The fact is, I don't even like tea, and the type of delicate finger foods and desserts that would be appropriate have never been favourites either. I like cookouts, and lemonade and ice cream (quintessentially American through and through), and I've even been known to bring an electric fan outside on an extension cord on occasion. Not really garden party material, I'm afraid.

Fortunately, this month's installment of Sugar High Fridays came my rescue.  SHF#9: Tantalizing, Titillating, Tempting Tarts, hosted by A Life In Flow (the brains behind Food Porn Watch), gave me permission to see my garden party made real, if only for my camera. The photo you see above is the personification of what I've always seen in my mind's eye- blowsy roses, bone china, antique linens, and old-fashioned place cards; the addition of lemon tartlets, which I adore, make it perfection in my book.

I made lemon curd for the first time last summer, in anticipation of winning 1st place in our local village fair (a debacle to be recounted in another post), and fell in love with it immediately. I find it strangely addictive, almost sickeningly so, and try not to make it with any frequency. I'm not even sure if I can describe it properly, except to say that it's the only thing other than fudge sauce that can make me stand at the fridge, bowl in hand, and eat it spoonful after glorious spoonful. Used properly, as a filling for miniature tarts, or even spread on shortbread or toast, it really is out of this world. The fact that it comes together in a flash, with hardly any effort, doesn't hurt either.

So, I had my garden party, of sorts, after all. Just outside the frame, I had two sets of sticky, dirty hands waiting not-so-patiently for their own little tartlet (promised at the outset), and a dog who was waiting not-so-patiently for any leftover crumbs, but inside my viewfinder it was a different story. One that could always be recreated at a later date, sans little fingers. Anyone care for a cuppa?

LEMON CURD
by Elinor Klivans (Fine Cooking magazine)

3 oz. (6 tablespoons) UNSALTED BUTTER, softened at room temperature
1 cup SUGAR
2 large EGGS
2 large EGG YOLKS
2/3 cup fresh LEMON JUICE
1 teaspoon grated LEMON ZEST

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer, about two minutes. Slowly add the eggs and the yolks, and beat for one minute. Mix in the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled, but it will smooth out as it cooks.

In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, cook the mixture over low heat until it looks smooth (the curdled appearance disappears as the butter in the mixture melts). Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about fifteen minutes. It should leave a path on the back of a spoon, and will read 170 degrees Fahrenheit on a thermometer. Don't let the mixture boil.

Remove the curd from the heat; stir in the lemon zest. Transfer the curd to a bowl, and press plastic wrap on the surface of the curd to keep a skin from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator; it will thicken as it cools. Covered tightly, it will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks, and in the freezer for two months.

Variation:
For lime curd, substitute fresh lime juice and zest for lemon.

PASTRY
by Tessa Kiros (Falling Cloudberries)

2 1/2 ounces (70g) BUTTER, slightly softened
1 ounce (30g) SUGAR
2 1/2 ounces (70g) ALL-PURPOSE (PLAIN) FLOUR
1 ounce (25g) GROUND ALMONDS

Cream together the butter and the sugar with a wooden spoon. Add the flour, ground almonds, and a pinch of salt and mix well, using your hands when it becomes a little stiff, until the pastry comes together. Flatten slightly, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour before using (you can also freeze the pastry at this stage).

Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured work surface and cut out circles of pastry to line about 12 shallow tartlet tins. Line with baking paper, fill with baking beans or weights and blind bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the visible pastry is golden and cooked. Remove the paper and cook for another couple of minutes to dry the bases. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before gently removing from the tartlet tins.

When completely cooled, fill with lemon curd.

Comments

[Sam]

Garden parties. Too much hardwork. Weather too unreliable. That's why they invented Afternoon tea instead, so the whole kaboodle can be presented indoors instead.

I have to get around to making some more lemon curd one of these days. Looks delicious, Moira.

[Chefdoc]

Hi Moira,I knew you'd stop spinning and start cooking.
The tarts look delectable - the photo is somewhere above that!

[Stephanie]

Moira, I would gladly attend a garden party with you!

I have always wanted to host one, myself...now that I have the big back yard for it, I don't live near any of my friends...

I love your tartlets! I adore bit-sized foods, and desserts work perfectly that way (Gale Gand's Just a Bite is a favorite of mine).

[Alan]

Looks yummy, Moira! The weather has been very drab these last few days in and around where I live. Although it prevents me from having a garden party, it does not prevent me from throwing a tea party to brighten myself up. Both my wife and I are very fond of lemon curd.. and we will be sure to share these bitesize tarts with our friends the next time we get together for tea.

[Zarah Maria]

OH! THE lemon curd! The tartlets look scrumptious - you have a special mold that makes them so tall? I can just imagine that buttery crust with the zing of the curd... mmmmmm... Pass the tea, would you please? And just a dash of milk darling Moira, yes, that'll do...;-) See, I'm already at your garden party!

[Reid]

Hi Moi,

WOW! I was considering making this exact same thing. Good thing I didn't. I didn't have a chance to participate this time around. I am way too busy. I'm still at work and it's already 8p. =(

[McAuliflower]

Mmmm lemon curd! Such a simple but wonderful mouthful of goodness. I can feel my mouth puckering from this sweet lemoney silk as I type!

[dawn]

HMMM! I love lemon/lime curd. What a lovely summer treat. I do not have a garden or even an outdoor patio so, I just may make this & enjoy it out on my fire escape.

[Julie]

Moira, these are glorious -- clearly the ultimate version of a favorite dessert, especially since they're in miniature -- just a perfect mouthful or two...

[stef]

lemon curd -- my favorite tart filling, next to chocolate. i could probably eat several of these in one sitting, they look so delish!

[Jennifer]

Now THOSE are lemon tarts - perfect little miniature tarts that are just sitting there, begging to be devoured. I love the imagery of the grubby fingers, just outside of the viewfinder...I have those around here most days as well.

The recipe looks amazing - thanks so much for sharing it with us all in this edition of Sugar High Fridays!

[Liz]

Moira,

I wanted to let you know that I've tagged you for the cook book meme. The link to my answers are here http://www.trufflemutt.com/trufflemutt/2005/06/tag_youre_it.html

I look forward to your answers. BTW your tarts look wonderful. I might just be making those in the near future.

[Moira]

Hi Sam...you're so right- a tea party does seems much more "do-able"! I'll have to make sure to have one before we leave the U.K.

Hi chefdoc...thank you! Yes, my spinning has slowed a bit, but I don't think it's going to stop just yet. ;-)

Hi Stephanie...isn't that always the way? We'll just have to keep having our virtual get-togethers with online friends, I guess!

Hi Alan...oh, I'm so glad that someone that really enjoys tea will have a party and enjoy these! I always WANT to like tea desperately, but in the end I'm a coffee girl. Never the twain shall meet, I think.

Hi Zarah...they are a bit tall, aren't they? I used a mini-muffin tin and got a little carried away, I guess....more like a two-bite tartlet after all. But, as long as you're coming all this way to my tea party, you oughta get more 'bang for your buck', should you? ;-)

Hi Reid...I used to think 'Da Man' was your middle name, but now I know that it's actually 'Mistah Ovahtime'. Have you started playing the lottery yet? =)

Hi McAuliflower...oh, the pucker! I think that's what makes it so strangely addictive in my book. I wince, but then I want another bite immediately. It's evil.

Hi Dawn...I made lime curd as well, and while the taste was different, it looked absolutely the same, therefore no inclusion in the photo. I like the thought of tartlets on the fire escape; do you put out a picnic blanket, too? ;-)

Hi Julie...mini is fun, huh? Unfortunately, I always seem to miscalculate on how many miniature desserts equal one normal-sized slice, and end up eating waaaay too much!

Hi Stef...I totally agree (see response to Julie above...lol)!

[keiko]

Hi Moira - your writing is great, as always. And these sweet-looking tartlets! (I enlarged it but still very pretty) It must have tasted wonderful, I wish someone would invite me for a garden party...

[Moira]

Hi Jennifer...ah, another grubby finger wrangler! ;-) When it came time for them to eat the tarts, my daughter was deeply suspicious of the yellow ("That doesn't look like chocolate, MUMMY!") and my son had one bite and refused another...a bit too grown-up for their little taste buds, I guess. My husband and I didn't seem to have any problem, though! Thank you for your kind words.

Hi Liz...oh, no- I've already been tagged by Reid for this one! I'll most definitely head on over and check out your answers, and please let me know if you give the tarts a try!

Hi Keiko...thank you so much. I guess we'll both have to start looking for friends in our areas that might give garden parties! Let me know if you have success...;-)

[sarah]

oh, your tartlets are adorable, and they look so pretty and dainty on the plate out in the garden!

[Sue]

YUM! That looks divine, I am tempted to make it!

[Giao]

Moira, such a magical little post. I love the inside/outside the lens scenarios. Sweet and wonderful!

I too always had afternoon tea of this kind in mind from all the novels and sunday afternoon tv too. Though, my hub's family certainly does do afternoon + tea + some sort of desserty goodie on everyday china daily like clockwork (which is one of my favorite parts about visiting over on that side of the pond).

Thanks much for capturing such a magic moment in this post. You are wondrous on so many levels. =)

[kevin]

Moira,

I very nearly made lemon curd tarts myself. They are really hard to beat!

[Reid]

Hi Moi,

Well you know...in management, there's no such thing as overtime. I do get comp time though...so I'm saving up those days! =)

[Annie]

Hi Moira,
I made these this past weekend for a friend's birthday -a friend who loves lemon and was enchanted with the lemon tarts in Paris on our last visit - these were equally good according to my friend. I will certainly make them again when another occasion arises. Mine were wider and not so tall, but still looked very enticing.

[chef 'em out]

I find myself stopping by just to admire your photos.

[Moira]

Hi Sarah...thank you so much!

Hi Sue...thanks! Why don't you give them a shot? They're very easy, and quite cool and tasty.

Hi Miss Sweetpie Giao......my gosh, thank you- you always have such a lovely way with words and leave the sweetest comments ever!

Hi Kevin...I guess they were on the minds of a lot of SHFers this time around! Well, I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities over the summer if you're still inclined.

Hi Reid...I'm glad you get to take great trips with all of your comp. time, but it's too bad you can't get out earlier, too!

Hi Annie...wow, I'm so happy that your friend enjoyed them, and I'm thrilled that they were comparable to the ones she had in Paris! I'm sure your tarts were much more traditional than mine- I was using a miniature muffin tin, and got a bit carried away with the pastry. I always lose my head a little when making/eating desserts! =)

Hi chef'em out...thank you very much! I'm so glad that you enjoy them.

Cheers all,

[Yvette]

Oh.. I forgot to say that I dig this photo and it looks so dang good! I also copied this recipe and I want to try this Haole food. Looks so delicous..ono... yummy and thank you or mahalo for sharing this with us! *Hugs*

[Moira]

Hi Yvette...thank you, sweetie!