Ingredients
for the pastry
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, diced
6 tablespoons (or more) ice water
for the filling
zest of 5 Meyer lemons
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup flour, sifted
powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening and cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather into ball, then flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours.
While the dough is chilling, make the filling. Zest the lemons and combine with the sugar using your fingertips, until the sugar becomes slightly clumpy and fragrant. Whisk the sugar mixture with the eggs, lemon juice and flour until smooth and shiny.
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a mini-tart pan with baking spray.
Roll out the dough to approximately 1/3 inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter, cut rounds to fit into the mini-tarts. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of curd into each tartlet. Roll out the remaining dough and use a cookie cutter to cut out flowers or hearts or whatever shape you like a place onto the middle of the curd.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the filling is set. Cool to room temperature before sifting the powdered sugar on top.
