Lovely Lemon Tea Time Tarts

Lemon Tarts

My dear friend and neighbor, Tracy Laverty, (who has an awesome design blog you can look at here, http://www.rightupmy-alley.blogspot.com/2014/01/tea-party-preparation.html ) asked me to create a tart for her daughter's tea party recently.  Of course I was delighted and was excited to try something new.  I was initially a thinking lemon curd sounded perfect. But I ended up needing to make these the morning of her party so I decided to try a lemon bar in the form of an adorable little tart.   You'll need a set of 3 inch or so tart shell pans for this recipe.  They turned out delicious and so cute for a little girls "Birthday Tea Party"   

 Crust:

2 cups flour

½ cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, softened

Filling:

2 cups granulated sugar

5 tablespoons flour

pinch salt

1 teaspoon baking POWDER

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

4 eggs

grated lemon peel of two lemons or zest of two lemons

juice of two lemons

First, zest your lemons and then juice them.  Set juice and zest aside.  Spray the tart pans with bakers spray.  In bowl of electric mixer, mix 2 cups flour with powdered sugar and butter. Press a spoonful of the crust mixture into greased tart tins, press into tin to form the tart shells. Place tins on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Watch closely to prevent over browning.  In bowl of electric mixer mix granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  Add eggs, grated lemon peel and lemon juice and mix well.  Pour into little tart shells while still hot out of the oven.  Bake an additional 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely.  Carefully turn tarts over, removing them from the tins. You may need to help the tarts release from the tin with a knife.  Dust with powdered sugar. Add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and top with fresh berries.