Strawberry Tartlets with Lemon Cream

Delicate, crisp, and wonderfully sweet and tangy, my strawberry tartlets with lemon cream are the perfect bite-size dessert to cool off with. Prepared with puff pastry, a simple lemon cream center and a slice of sweet, fresh strawberry on top, this strawberry tartlets recipe is a cool, creamy and easy summertime dessert!

Strawberry Tartlets Loaded with Lemony Flavor

Dainty and delicate two-bite sweets are not only pretty to look at, but so much fun to eat!

And while I love a nice, big piece of brownie cake or a couple of thick, soft chocolate peanut butter bars, or even brownie cookies, to sink my teeth into when the sweet tooth beckons, there are times when I'm craving something lighter and less decadent—something bright and tangy—to pop into my mouth to cool off with on a warm, sunny day.

These strawberry tartlets with a cool, lemon cream center are just such a treat, and truly the perfect dessert to whip up when fresh, juicy strawberries are in season.

When I'm craving a light, sweet and tangy dessert that I can enjoy in just a couple of bites, and that's a wonderful partner to a cup of tea or a fresh lemonade, these easy strawberry tartlets are just the goody to prepare, terrific for the warm days of summer!

My Recipe for Strawberry Tartlets with Lemon Cream

Here's what I love about this simple-yet-elegant desert recipe: there are only three very easy components, with only a tiny handful of ingredients.

While there is some baking involved here, it's super quick and requires only one sheet of good quality, butter puff pastry—no homemade crust dough to monkey with!

Baking the mini puff pastry shells takes only about 10 to 12 minutes (easy peasy!), and that takes care of component number one.

The other components here are the fresh lemon cream filling that I pipe or dollop into the center of each puff pastry “cup”. And let me tell you, it's so delicious, that it's a bit of a challenge to not eat it by the spoonful before I fill the puff pastry cups with it!

The fresh strawberry slices are the final component, and I like to slice those to lay on top of each delicate little tartlet, and brush each with a touch of melted apricot preserves to create a glossy finish.

These strawberry tartlets are cool, creamy, bright and lemony, with the sweet, juicy burst of fresh strawberry on top!

Here's a glance at my strawberry tartlets with lemon cream recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I gently roll out my sheet of puff pastry just enough to even it out and make it slightly thinner, then cut it into 12 pieces (squares). I cut those squares in half to create 24 smaller squares/rectangles.
2. I gently press those into mini muffin tins, and bake just until golden-brown and puffed, creating little puff pastry “cups”, or tart shells, to fill.
3. While those cool, I prep my lemon cream filling.
4. When the filling is done, I add it to a piping bag (or even a ziplock bag with the corner cut off), or keep it in a bowl, and use a spoon to fill the pastry.
5. I then fill each puff pasty cup with a good swirl or dollop of the lemon cream, top each with a thick slice of fresh strawberry, and brush a touch of melted apricot preserves over top to create a glossy finish.
6. The strawberry tartlets are chilled, just until cold, and then thoroughly enjoyed.

Recipe

Strawberry Tartlets with Lemon Cream

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These sweet and refreshing strawberry tartlets are filled with a tangy lemon cream filling and topped with fresh strawberry!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Yield: 24 strawberry tartlets

Nutrition Info: 288 calories (per two strawberry tartlets)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes

Strawberry Tartlets Ingredients:

• 1 sheet butter puff pastry (thawed, but kept cold in the fridge)
• 1 egg, whisked
• 6 medium strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoons apricot preserves, for glossy finish

Lemon Cream Filling Ingredients:

• 6 fluid ounces heavy whipping cream, cold
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your tartlet ingredients (but keep the puff pastry cold) according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°, and lightly mist two mini-muffin tins (12 wells each) with cooking spray, or one tin with 24 wells.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, place your thawed sheet of puff pastry, and roll it out gently, just until it's slightly larger and thinner. Cut 12 squares out of the puff pastry (3 strips horizontally, and 4 vertically), and then cut those squares in half creating a total of 24 small squares/rectangles.
4. Gently press each into a mini muffin tin, allowing the edges to lay over. Lightly egg wash each, and using a fork, prick the bottoms a couple of times to help prevent the pastry from rising/puffing too much.
5. Bake for about 10 to12 minutes, just until golden-brown. (They will be shaped a little like butterflies when baked.) Allow the baked puff pastry cups to completely cool on a wire rack.
6. While they cool, gather and prep all of your lemon cream filling ingredients according to ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
7. Add the cold whipping cream to a bowl, and using a hand mixer, whip the cream until it stiff peaks form and the cream is thickened. Set aside in the fridge to hold.
8. To another bowl add the softened cream cheese, and using a spatula, smooth and mix the cream cheese to make it pliable and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in a little at a time, and blend that in until smooth. Add in the lemon zest, and fold that in to incorporate.
9. Next, fold in the whipped cream in several increments, taking care to keep the mixture light and fluffy.
10. Once completely combined, cover and refrigerate until chilled. (Spoon into a piping bag for greater ease in filling the tartlets.)
11. Then, pipe some of the lemon filling into the center of each baked puff pastry “cup”, and top with a slice of strawberry.
12. Combine the apricot preserves with ½ teaspoon of water, and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, just until melted. Brush each strawberry slice carefully with a little of the apricot preserves to create a glossy finish.
13. Refrigerate to chill the strawberry tartlets, and then place onto a platter and serve cold.

Tips & Tidbits for my Strawberry Tartlets with Lemon Cream recipe:

• All-butter puff pastry: For convenience and ease, I love that these tartlets don't require "from scratch" dough, but rather good quality puff pastry. I love to use all-butter puff pastry because the flavor and quality are the best, so if you can find that in the frozen section of your market, opt for that.
• Allow the cream cheese to come to room temp: When prepping your lemon cream filling, allow the cream cheese to come to room temp and soften a bit. This will make it easier to blend with the other ingredients, and create a smooth, creamy filling.
• Fresh, glossy strawberry slices on top: To begin with, I'm using sweet, fresh strawberry slices here (if the berries are smaller, you can use a couple of slices per tartlet rather than one larger one). To create that glossy finish, I'm brushing over a small amount of apricot preserves that I melt in the microwave with a teeny drizzle of water added in.
• Keep the strawberry tartlets cold: Once you fill and prep these tartlets, place them into the fridge to chill until nice and cold before enjoying. Then, you can store any uneaten tartlets either in a covered container in the fridge, or even on a plate gently wrapped in plastic wrap.

Craving more deliciously sweet strawberry treats? Check out my recipe for Strawberry Cake, Strawberry Lemonade Scones, Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, or my recipe for Strawberry Sundae Cupcakes!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015, and has been updated with even more love!