Mrs Darlington’s Individual Tangy Lemon Bakewell Tarts

Makes 8

Preparation 35 mins, plus 30 mins chilling time.

Mrs Darlington’s tasty twist on an English teatime classic. Instead of the sweetness of raspberry jam, you’ll bite into the smooth tang of Mrs Darlington’s Legendary Lemon Curd. Fabulous at any time of day, but they may have a habit of disappearing pretty quickly after coming out of the oven.

  • Ingredients

  • For the sweet pastry

    75g/3oz butter at room temperature

    Zest of 1 lemon

    50g/2oz icing sugar

    1 egg yolk

    200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting.

     

    For the filling

    Zest of 2 lemons

    100g/4oz butter, at room temperature

    100g/4oz caster sugar

    2 large eggs

    75g/3oz grounds almonds

    25g/1oz plain flour

    8 tablespoons of Mrs Darlington’s Legendary Lemon Curd

    25g/1oz flaked almonds

    Icing sugar for dusting.

Method to Success

Grease eight 10 x 2cm tart tins – loose bottom if available.

Heat the oven to 200C/175c fan/gas 6.

To make the pastry, place the butter and lemon zest in a food processor and blitz until soft. Sieve in the icing sugar and continue to mix until creamy in colour. Mix in the egg yolk with one tablespoon of water, then add in the flour until it’s just combined.

Bring the pastry together in a ball, then wrap in cling film. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

Meanwhile make the filling.  Beat together the lemon zest, butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, including a spoonful of the ground almonds with each addition. When all the egg has been added, mix in the remaining ground almonds and flour.

Roll out the pastry and use to line the eight tart tins, trimming out any excess.

Place a tablespoon of Mrs Darlington’s Legendary Lemon Curd into the bottom of each tart case and spread it evenly around. Place the filling on top of the lemon curd and smooth with a knife. The tarts will be full to the top, which is fine. Finally scatter over the flaked almonds.

Sit the tarts on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 mins until lightly golden.

Remove from the tins, cool and dust with icing sugar.