Delicious mini-tarts with a flaky pastry shell, filled with tart lime curd and topped with sweet whipped cream. Lime curd tartlets are a quick and easy bite-sized dessert that are bursting with flavour. Perfect for summer BBQs, party platters, or anytime you want a simple sweet treat.
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These lime curd mini-tarts are the perfect treat for the person who loves desserts that aren’t too sweet.
The flaky pastry, tart lime curd and sweet whipped cream are the perfect balance of flavours.
These little tartlets are ideal for those who want just a little bite of dessert, though I can never stop at just one.
The tartlet shells are made with refrigerated pastry that has been cut into rounds and baked in mini-muffin tin, which makes preparation super easy. But of course, you can use homemade pastry if you prefer. And if you want full sized tarts, you can bake them in regular sized muffin tins instead.
Once the tarts shells are cool you simply fill them with lime curd, top them with fresh whipped cream and serve. The whole process takes less than an hour making them quick and easy.
They are a delicious addition to any dessert platter, and the bright, fresh flavours make them perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks. Serve them with other citrus desserts like Lemon Pudding Poke Cake or Key Lime Bars.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Using premade pastry makes these tarts super quick and easy.
- Bite-sized tarts are perfect when you want a little treat or for a large dessert platter.
- The tangy lime, flaky pastry, and fresh whipped cream are the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You only need a few simple ingredients in order to make these delicious little tarts.
- Pastry – This recipe uses refrigerated pastry. I use the Pillsbury deep dish pie pastry, but you can use any type you like. If you prefer, you can even make your own homemade pastry. Unsweetened pastry is fine for this recipe as the filling provides enough sweetness on its own.
- Lime curd – You can use store-bought lime curd for this recipe, but I highly suggest making your own lime curd. It is super easy to make and will taste so much better than any store-bought jar.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream, or whipping cream, to make the sweet whipped topping. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making your own I would suggest using frozen whipped topping instead.
- Powdered sugar – To add sweetness to the whipped cream. Granulated sugar will work if it’s all you have.
- White chocolate instant pudding – Instant pudding works extremely well to stabilize whipped cream. Using white chocolate instant pudding will keep the cream bright white and it will not significantly alter the flavour. If you can’t find white chocolate pudding, you can use vanilla, but it does tend to yellow the cream.
Pro-Tip: Stabilizing the whipped cream with instant pudding powder will help prevent the whipped cream from deflating and it will hold its shape, even at room temperature, for hours. When refrigerated, it will hold its swirly peaks for days.
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the Pastry
Step 1 – Unroll the pastry sheets and cut each into 12 rounds using a 2.75 round cutter, or a size appropriate for the size of the wells in your mini-muffin pan.
Step 2 – Spray the muffin pan with non-stick spray. Gently press a pastry round into each of the wells and poke the bottom a few times with a fork.
Pro-Tip: You want to use a cookie-cutter that is slightly bigger than the wells of the muffin pan. If you don’t have a cookie-cutter the ring from a small mouth mason jar is usually the perfect diameter and works very well.
Bake the Tart Shells
Step 3 – Bake the shells in a 450°F oven for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown and lightly crisp. Or, if you are making your own pastry, follow the directions for baking on the pastry recipe you are using.
Assemble the Tartlets
Step 4 – Let the tart shells cool for a few minutes, then remove them from the pan and move them to a cooling rack.
When the tart shells are fully cooled, fill each shell with a spoonful of lime curd.
Step 5 – In a medium-sized bowl, mix the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and white chocolate pudding mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until it holds stiff peaks.
Spoon the whipped cream into a piping bag and pipe a cream swirl onto each of the lime-filled tarts. Alternatively, you can spoon a dollop of cream onto the tarts if you don’t have a piping bag.
Step 6 – Garnish if desired with fresh lime zest and serve.
Pro-Tip: Even though it may seem easier, avoid using whipped cream from an aerosol can unless you are serving these tarts as you eat them. Aerosol whipped cream deflates very quickly and will leave a puddly mess on top of the tarts.
Substitutions & Variations
There are a few ways you can customize or add variety to these tartlets, depending on your preferences.
Pastry – You can use the store-bought refrigerated pastry as suggested, but you can also use:
- Homemade pastry
- Frozen pre-made tart shells
- Puff pastry
- Cookie cups
Filling – If you want to vary the flavours of these tarts you could use:
- Lemon curd
- Orange curd
- Instant pudding, in various flavours
Topping – I love using fresh whipped cream, but other options you may like are:
- Frozen whipped topping
- Toasted meringue
- Crumbled graham crackers
- Powdered sugar
Storage
You can store assembled tarts in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze lime curd tarts, you will want to do so before adding any whipped topping. Frozen shells filled with curd will keep well for several months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container.
Top Tips & FAQS
- Be sure to spray the muffin pan with non-stick spray so the tart shells pop out easily.
- Let the tart shells cool completely before filling so the curd doesn’t thin and the tart shells stay crisp.
- Top these with fresh whipped cream that has been stabilized, especially if you want to be able to prepare them ahead of time or leave them on a platter for awhile. Whipped cream from an aerosol can will deflate very quickly and leave a melted puddle on top of the tarts.
If you want to freeze these tarts you will want to do so before you add the whipped cream. Freeze the tarts with the curd in an airtight container, then when you are ready to serve allow the tarts to thaw and add the whipped cream topping.
Yes. Lime curd tarts will need to be refrigerated. They should keep for about 3 days in an airtight container.
More Citrus Dessert Recipes
More Delicious Recipes You Might Like
No-Churn Lime Ice Cream – by It’s Not Complicated
Cucumber Agua Fresca – by Drive Me Hungry
Lemonade Popsicles – by Fresh Coast Eats
Printable Recipe
Lime Curd Tartlets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 deep-dish refrigerated pie crusts or the equivalent of 2 homemade pie crusts
- 1 cup lime curd homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon white chocolate instant pudding mix
- Lime zest optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Spray 2 12-well mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Unroll the pastry and using a round cutter, cut each sheet into 12 rounds. You need to use a cutter that is slightly larger than the wells of the tin. For my tins that is a 2.75 wide cutter.
- Gently press each pastry round into the wells of the muffin tins and poke a few holes in the bottom of each tart shell with a fork.
- Bake the shells for 9-12 minutes until golden and lightly crisp. Or, if you are making your own pastry, follow the baking directions of your recipe.
- While the tart shells are baking prepare the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and instant pudding to a medium-size bowl. Mix on medium-high speed with a hand mixer just until it holds stiff peaks.
- Remove the tart shells from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes, then remove the tart shells from the pans and move them to a cooling rack.
- Once the tart shells are fully cool, fill each tart shell with a spoonful of lime curd.
- Scoop the whipped cream into a piping bag and pipe a swirl of whipped cream onto each curd-filled tart. If desired, garnish with fresh lime zest.
Notes
- Instant pudding works extremely well to stabilize whipped cream. Using white chocolate instant pudding will keep the cream bright white and it will not significantly alter the flavour. If you can’t find white chocolate pudding, you can use vanilla, but it does tend to yellow the cream.
- Avoid using aerosol whipped cream unless you are going to serve these tarts immediately as it will quickly deflate and puddle on top of the tarts.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Karen
Friday 12th of August 2022
These were a HUGE hit at my 4th of July party! Many people asked for the recipe and couldn't believe I made them at home. They were impressive and easy and I will definitely make them again.
Jamie
Wednesday 1st of June 2022
These turned out so good and were almost too cute to eat! I liberally sprayed the pan and had no trouble getting the tartlets out. I added a bit of lime zest to the whipped cream for extra lime flavor and it was perfect.
Alex
Friday 27th of May 2022
Such a gorgeous way to use up some delicious homemade lime curd! I used some homemade gluten free pastry, and these were a real hit at a brunch party over the weekend. Simple and so tasty!