Strawberry Lemon Tarts Recipe | Baker Street Society (2024)

Written by Camille Published on May 11, 2021 Updated on August 10, 2023

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What’s in Strawberry Lemon Tarts? | 5 Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Lemon Tarts | How to Caramelize Meringue | Essential Baking Tools for This Recipe

Strawberry lemon tarts recipe made with pate sucree crust, lemon curd, strawberries, and Italian meringue. This recipe epitomizes the freshness and calmness of summer.

As you eat one, picture yourself sitting under a shady tree on a warm sunny day with the breeze passing by. That’s how these tarts should make you feel when you take a bite! Read on below for tips and the recipe.

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What’s in Strawberry Lemon Tarts?

This recipe consists of a pate sucree crust, lemon curd, Italian meringue, and thinly sliced strawberries. I’m sure the components aren’t surprising, but we often use French meringue for tarts and pies instead of Italian meringue.

Italian meringue is basically a glorified meringue. It’s silky, smooth, creamy, and fluffy all in one. It has a beautiful shine, and you don’t have to bake it unless desired because the hot sugar syrup cooks the egg whites as it whips.

For a more in-depth look at Italian meringue, check out this post here.

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5 Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Lemon Meringue Tarts

First, for a tender and buttery crust, cream the room-temperature butter with the sugar, add the egg, and then mix the dry ingredients in just until incorporated. Overmixing creates a tough crust, so it’s important to stop mixing when the ingredients come together.

Second, allow the dough to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the butter becomes cold and firm. This creates a really tender and beautiful dough that bakes up perfectly.

Third, always use pie weights when making tart crusts. Pie weights, rice, or dried beans can all be used to fill the unbaked tart shells (along with some parchment or foil) so that the shells hold their shape and don’t shrink during baking.

Fourth, add lemon zest to the lemon curd so that it has a really bright lemon flavor. It adds more depth and creates more interest for your tastebuds. You can make the lemon curd ahead and pipe it into the shells, or pour it into the cool tart shells while the curd is warm. Either way, it will taste delightful.

Fifth, this is just a matter of preference, but you can add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the lemon curd if you want the curd to be stiffer like the lemon curd in a lemon pie. Otherwise, enjoy the silky smooth texture of my lemon curd because it’s amazing!

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How to Caramelize Meringue

There are 2 ways to caramelize or brown the meringue:

The first option is to put the meringue-covered tarts in the oven and bake them for 10 minutes at 350 until the meringue is golden. This method gives the tarts the most even browning.

The second option is to use a small torch to create that beautiful caramelization. This option defines the swoops and whirls on the tart since you can target specific areas.

You will also see more white on the surface of the meringue than if it went into the oven, which gives it a nice contrast to the caramelized edges.

Either method works well, so pick your favorite method!

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Mini 4″ tart tins
A whisk to make the lemon curd
One medium glass or metal bowl for the curd
A stand mixer (this is a great budget option)
One small or medium sized pot

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