Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues

These elegant lemon tartlets with pistachio meringue are the perfect addition to any afternoon tea. Featuring crisp tart shells filled with tangy lemon curd, topped with delicate pistachio meringue and a touch of edible gold glitter, they’re a beautiful, 5-star-worthy treat that taste as good as they look.

Light, zesty, and perfectly balanced, these mini lemon tartlets are ideal for entertaining or special occasions. Even better, they’re surprisingly easy to make thanks to a number of simple make-ahead components.

These little lemon tartlets with pistachio meringues are a perfect example of lemony happiness!

You see, there’s something special about lemon desserts. Maybe it’s their colour – always so vibrant and joyful or maybe it’s their taste? Zingy and zesty but also sweet and creamy, a perfect palate awakener after a savoury meal or simply a burst of sunshine on a rainy afternoon.

Great to do ahead

Simple to make, these lemon tartlets with pistachio meringues are best prepared over two days due to the resting time required for the pastry and the cooling time required for the meringues. It’s just easier to do these in stages and you will get a better result as you won’t be stuck in the kitchen all day and completely ‘over it’ by the time you get to filling the tarts!

The best part is that once cooked, you can keep the lemon tartlets in a container in the fridge for up to two days before adding the little meringue and gold dust just before serving – so they’re absolutely perfect for a do-ahead Afternoon Tea menu.

Make or buy the tart shells

The tangy filling is not too sweet so it is perfectly balanced by the sweeter meringue topping but also complemented by the slightly lemon hints that you get from pistachios. I’ve included my tried and tested sweet tart shell pastry that is easy to make, although you will need to do the resting and blind baking parts to get the best results.

I’ve used little tartlet pans for these that you can purchase from my Amazon Shop (I receive a small commision that keeps my website full of free recipes). You can of course buy some good quality pre-made sweet tart shells and use them instead. (See my FAQs on how to do this).

A proper Parisian filling

To keep these lemon tartlets with pistachio meringues ‘patisserie perfect’ (because you deserve the very best my dear reader), I’ve adapted the filling recipe for a Traditional Tarte au Citron (lemon tart) from the brilliant book Sweet Paris: A love affair with Parisian pastries, chocolates and desserts by internationally acclaimed photographer Michael Paul. It’s a visually stunning book with excellent recipes, so try to find a copy if you can – you won’t be disappointed.

As with all my recipes make sure you have read the entire recipe, looked at the step by step photos and watched the video so you are 100% familiar with what’s required before you get started.

My lemon tartlets with pistachio meringues are best made in two stages

Stage 1

• Make the pastry, rest in the fridge overnight
• Bake the meringues, store in a zip lock bag inside a sealed container

Stage 2

• Make the tart shells
• Prepare the filling, bake, then cool at room temperature before storing in the fridge until required (up to 2 days).
• Add the meringues and gold dust, then serve

Bake like a pro – weigh your ingredients!

I use weight measurements not cup measurements in all my recipes as cup sizes are not universal – a cup in the US for example is different to a cup in Australia. This ensures accuracy and a far better result, especially if you are baking which relies on scientific principles. Yes it’s a bit nerdy, but ingredients are expensive and there’s nothing worse than following a recipe to the letter only to have it fail on you.

Pro tip: Always keep a set of spare batteries for your scales. You don’t want your scales dying halfway through a recipe!

Try these other great Afternoon Tea recipes

Chicken Finger Sandwiches

Lemon & Blackberry Sandwich Cake

Traditional Scones with Jam & Cream

Little Raspberry Jelly Cakes

Ingredients for the Pistachio Meringues

Eggs – Use fresh egg whites separated from whole eggs. not the liquid ones from a carton

Caster / Superfine Sugar – The finer the sugar, the faster the sugar will dissolve into the egg whites.

Salt – Table salt is recommended due to its fine grains.

Pistachio nuts – Use unsalted, shelled pistachios, you will need 12 for this recipe.

Edible gold glitter (optional) – For an extra touch of glamour! You can find edible glitter in a range of colours at your local baking store or buy online. I have used 24 carat glitter from Twinkle Dust for this recipe.

Vinegar or lemon juice for cleaning – White vinegar or fresh lemon juice will help remove any traces of fat from your mixer bowl, whisk and utensils.

Preparation

Prep your tray

Take a large baking sheet and cut a piece of baking paper to fit. Using a pencil and a circle cutter measuring 3.5cm, trace 24 circles at 2.5cm apart then flip it over and place on a large tray.

Set up your piping bag

Fit a disposable piping bag with a large Ateco 868 French star tip and snip off the end. Alternatively, snip 5cm / 2 inches off the end of a disposable piping bag and don’t use a tip – this will give you cloud shaped meringues.

Place the piping bag in a large glass and turn over the top third to form a cuff.

Finish your prep

Finely chop the pistachio nuts and set aside.

Measure the sugar into a separate bowl, place a teaspoon next to it and set aside.

Clean the stand mixer bowl, whisk attachment and spatula with a little vinegar or lemon juice and paper towel.

Make the meringue

Place your rack in the centre of the oven.

Preheat the oven to 110 C (fan) / 230 F (fan).

Add the egg whites and the pinch of salt to the stand mixer bowl and whisk on speed 4 (medium low) for 2 minutes until frothy (use a timer).

Increase the speed to speed 6 (medium) and start to add the sugar, one teaspoon at a time making sure you count to 10, before adding the next teaspoon. Continue with this process until you have no more sugar left to add.

Continue mixing for 1 more minute (use a timer), then stop the mixer, scrape down the sides with a spatula, then restart the mixer on level 4 (medium low) and mix for a further 1 minute to incorporate any last granules of sugar.

Turn off the mixer. You should now have a glossy, thick, pipeable meringue.

Place little dots of meringue mixture in the corner of your tray with your finger, then add the baking paper with your circles, pencil-side down. The meringue will hold the paper in place as you pipe.

Take a clean spatula and fill the piping bag with the meringue mixture.

Remove the bag from the glass and pull up the cuff and twist.

Hold the bag about 2.5cm / 1 inch directly above one of the circles on the tray (this will give the meringues a nice fat bottom), and pipe teardrop shapes just a little larger than the circle you have drawn. This will give you the perfect size to sit on top of your tartlets.

When finished, top each meringue with a sprinkling of pistachio.

Place the meringues on the centre rack in the oven and cook for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside until the oven is completely cool (or else they will crack when you take them out). This may take up to 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and carefully place in a ziplock bag so they sit flat. Store in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

Make the pastry

Pastry dough ingredients

Flour – All purpose / plain flour

Unsalted butter – Use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in this recipe. If you only have salted butter, then leave out the salt.

Salt – Fine tables salt works well.

Icing sugar / Confectioner’s sugar – Use the pure sugar version not the Icing ‘mixture’ version which has cornflour added to it. Sift it to remove any lumps.

Almond meal / Almond flour – These are called different things depending on where you live. So, for this recipe I want you to use the one that contains finely ground, blanched almonds with no skin (see the picture above – I’ve made a little label to show you what I mean).

Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract with our without seeds, not essence or imitation vanilla.

Make the pastry for Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues

Place the softened butter and the pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on the lowest speed (important) for 90 seconds.

Stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides, then add the sifted icing / confectioner’s sugar, almond meal and vanilla.

Mix on the lowest speed until the butter is fully incorporated with the ingredients, then add the egg and mix again until absorbed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides.

Add one third of the flour to the mixture, then mix on low until incorporated. Repeat the process with the next third, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, then add the final third of the flour and mix until combined.

Tip the mixture out onto a board and gently form into a ball. Place the ball on a piece of plastic wrap and press down to make a disc. Wrap securely and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.

Line the tartlet tins

You will need 12 fluted tartlet tins (see Equipment for dimensions).

Remove the pastry from the fridge, take off the plastic wrap, then place it on a silicone mat.

Cut out and line the tart tins

Take a large rolling pin and roll the pastry out to a circle 3mm (1/10 inch) thick. It will be firm to start but should become easier the more you roll it out. Press the rolling pin into the centre of the dough then roll away from you. Turn the mat a quarter turn, roll from the centre again. Repeat until you have your circle.

Using a 7cm ( 2 3/4) inch round cutter, cut one circle of pastry, transfer it to the tartlet tin and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Pinch off the excess.

Repeat the process with the remaining pastry, bringing the scraps together and re-rolling to the same thickness until you have cut out enough circles to line all 12 tartlet tins.

Place the tart shells on a tray that will fit in your fridge.

Dock the tart shells

Using a fork, make little holes all over the base of each shell. This will allow any steam to escape and ensure your shells stay crisp.

Place the shells uncovered into the fridge for 30 minutes.

Cut out the baking paper liners

Meanwhile, cut 12 squares of baking paper measuring 8cm x 8cm (3 5/32 inch x 3 5/32 inch).

Take a square, crumple it up then smooth it out. Repeat with the rest of the squares.

Blind bake the tartlet shells

Preheat the oven to 180 C (fan) / 350 F (fan).

Remove the tray of tartlet shells from the fridge.

Place a square of crumpled baking paper in each shell and fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove the tartlet shells from the oven, discard the baking paper liners (and weights/rice) into a bowl, then place them back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to dry out the shells.

Remove from the oven, leave on the tray and set aside to cool.

Lower the oven to 150 C (fan) / 300 F (fan) then prepare the lemon filling

Lemon filling ingredients for Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues

Unsalted butter – Use a good quality butter with a high fat content.

Cream – Pure cream or even thickened cream will work fine in this recipe.

Eggs – Fresh eggs in the shell, separate as required.

Caster sugar / Superfine sugar – Smaller grains will dissolve faster which is important in this recipe.

Lemon – You will need the zest of 1 lemon, as well as 100ml fresh lemon juice (approximately 2-3 lemons). Don’t use the bottled stuff.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you have all your ingredients weighed out plus your timer and whisk close by.

In a small saucepan melt the butter on a low heat then add the cream and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.

Make a double-boiler

Place a medium saucepan filled with 5cm / 2 inches of hot water over a medium heat and bring to a simmer then lower the heat.

Put a heatproof bowl on top of the simmering saucepan- make sure it doesn’t touch the water.

Now add the whole egg, the yolks and the sugar. Whisk the mixture continuously until all the sugar has dissolved. 

Pour in the lemon juice and zest and whisk for 3 minutes. Use a timer.

Incorporate the butter/cream mixture and continue to whisk for another 5 minutes. Use a timer.

Remove the bowl from the top of the saucepan and turn off the heat.

Fill the tartlet shells

Pour the lemon mixture into a heatproof jug.

Carefully fill each of the 12 tart cases leaving a little lip of pastry at the top.

Place the tray of tartlets in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven

The filling will have a slight wobble (that’s perfect) and allow to cool at room temperature.

How to serve your Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues

Take a tartlet, tap on the bottom of the tin and release it into your hand. Put it on a serving tray.

Take a meringue and place it on top of each tartlet. The stickiness of the lemon filling will help it adhere.

Dip the end of a small knife into the edible gold dust (if using) and sprinkle a little over each tartlet.

Serve immediately.

To store

Store the lemon tartlets (without the meringue) in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Store the meringues in a sealed ziplock bag inside a sealed container in a cool, dry place (like a pantry or cupboard) for up to 1 week.

FAQs about my Lemon Tartlets with Pistachio Meringues recipe

Can I use a different garnish? Yes just replace the pistachios with lemon zest or crushed freeze-dried raspberries or leave the meringue plain and add the edible gold glitter for a glamorous touch.

Can I buy the shells instead? Yes, just try to stick as close as possible to the tartlet case dimensions recommended in the recipe and adjust the size of your meringues to suit the diameter.