Description
These Strawberry Lemon Cream Tartlets are bite-sized rays of sunshine — flaky, golden puff pastry shells filled with tangy whipped lemon cream and topped with fresh, glossy strawberries. They’re elegant enough for a spring celebration but simple enough for an afternoon treat. The combination of buttery pastry, citrus cream, and juicy berries makes them a dessert that always disappears first.
Ingredients
For the Puff Pastry Cups:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
Flour, for dusting
For the Lemon Cream Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping:
1 cup fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apricot preserves (for glaze)
Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Fresh mint leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Prepare the pastry cups:
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface and smooth any creases. Cut small circles to fit your muffin cups, press them gently into place, and prick the bottoms with a fork. Sprinkle lightly with sugar if desired.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool completely before filling.Make the lemon cream:
Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla; beat until combined.
In another bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture until fluffy and light. Chill until ready to use.Assemble the tartlets:
Spoon or pipe the lemon cream into cooled pastry cups. Arrange strawberry slices neatly on top.
Glaze and garnish:
Warm apricot preserves with 1 teaspoon water until smooth. Brush lightly over the strawberries for a glossy finish. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with mint if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead: Pastry shells can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Filling: Can be prepared 1 day in advance; refrigerate and re-whip before using.
Variations: Try raspberries or blueberries, or swap lemon zest for lime or orange.
Serving Tip: Serve chilled for best texture and freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tartlet
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
