Lemon & Blueberry Recipe

Prepare dough

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (cubed) and 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening (if using) to the flour. Use a pastry cutter or fingers to cut fats into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Bind dough

Stir in 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water. Add additional 1/2 tablespoon water only if dough looks too dry. Mix just until dough comes together—do not overwork. Gather into a disc, wrap in plastic, and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Roll and dock

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough to about 1/8" (3 mm) thickness. Cut into 8 rounds slightly larger than your tartlet pans (about 4" rounds for 3" pans). Gently press dough into tartlet pans, trim excess, and dock (prick) bottoms with a fork to prevent puffing.

Blind bake

Line each shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges begin to color. Remove weights and parchment; return to oven for 4-6 minutes more until shell bottoms are set and lightly golden. Let cool on a rack.

Prepare lemons

Zest 3 lemons, then juice them to yield about 1/2 to 3/4 cup lemon juice. Reserve zest and juice.

Cook curd

In a medium heatproof bowl whisk together 3 eggs, 1 egg yolk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double-boiler) making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and reaches about 170–175°F (it will coat the back of a spoon), about 8–10 minutes.

Finish curd

Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, one tablespoon at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir in 1/8 tsp salt. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any bits of cooked egg for a silky finish. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin forming and chill until slightly cool but still pourable, about 20–30 minutes.

Fill shells

Spoon or pipe lemon curd into the cooled tart shells, filling to about 90% full. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon. Chill in refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes while you make the blueberry compote.

Cook compote

In a small saucepan combine 2 cups blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until berries release juice and begin to soften, about 5–7 minutes.

Thicken compote

Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry. Stir slurry into the simmering blueberries and cook 1–2 minutes more until compote slightly thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. If you prefer visible whole berries, stir only gently and stop as soon as mixture thickens.

Assemble tartlets

Top each chilled lemon-filled tart shell with 1–2 tablespoons of blueberry compote, spooning so blueberries and glossy syrup sit neatly in the center. For a decorative finish, leave a small ring of visible lemon curd at the edges.

Optional finishing touches

Just before serving, dust tartlet edges with confectioners' sugar (about 1 tablespoon total) and serve with a dollop of whipped heavy cream (use 1/2 cup heavy cream whipped lightly) if desired. Keep tartlets refrigerated; remove 10 minutes before serving for best texture.