Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tarts
These fancy little desserts are a cinch to make, and they are delicious! Perfect for an afternoon tea, a brunch for the girls, or a sweet treat for that special someone in your life. However you use them and whoever you serve—they’ll be a crowd pleaser. I promise!
While I love feeling like I can “throw down” in the kitchen, I don’t always have time to make everything from scratch. For that reason, I have fallen in love with Dutch Ann brand Frozen Tart Shells, one of my favorite Walmart specials. For those of you who need to cut corners every now and then while living the life of a mom with a full-time job in addition to waayyy too many hobbies, you’re welcome in advance for the tip! They’re the perfect amount buttery goodness, finished off with a flaky touch and just what I needed for this recipe.
Since we’re on the subject of easy gourmet recipes and finding ways to save time, I’m here to tell you, sometimes store bought is better! I’ll be the first to say, I’ve never mastered a homemade lemon curd. If you add too much lemon juice or not enough egg, it can be too sour or not set up right. If you cook it too hot or too long, it could separate or become runny. Plus, I’ve eaten homemade lemon curd and still don’t believe any of them taste as good as the Wilkin & Son’s Tiptree brand I buy from Amazon. It’s rated nearly 5 stars, so instead of going through the hassle of trying to get the perfect lemon curd, I personally suggest buying from this from Amazon because they've already perfected the recipe, and with Amazon Prime, it can be at your doorstep in two days--win, win! With that being said, if you are really feeling your inner Betty Crocker and wanting to try to make your own lemon curd, this recipe is the next best thing to what I buy online.
The rest of this recipe is soo simple and takes just a few steps to complete before you’re ready to enjoy these lemony, creamy bites from heaven. You’ll make your own whipped cream from a little powdered sugar beaten with heavy cream; mix it with some vanilla, cream cheese and the lemon curd; then, fill, bake and refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s the perfect dessert: simple, quick and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients:
1 cup lemon curd
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 scant tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
8 mini tart crusts
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a fork, poke a few holes in the bottoms of tart shells (no need to fully thaw before hand); bake 12-14 minutes.
Using a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar until soft peaks form; set aside.
In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine softened cream cheese, lemon curd and vanilla extract; mix well until there are no lumps. Pro tip: I start mixing with a whisk to get the filling as smooth as possible before finishing with a hand mixer.
Fold whipped cream into the mixture until fully combined.
Assembly:
Spoon filling into a piping bag and fill each tart shell.
Garnish each tart with a little lemon zest; chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Pro tip: Dust with a little powdered sugar just before serving.
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