Lavender lemon curd mini tarts

 

Spring is finally here, and I'm so excited to start baking with my favorite spring flavors once again, especially lemon and lavender. I love the combination of bright citrus and delicate floral flavors.

The recipe I'm sharing today couldn't be easier (dare I say it's foolproof), and it's the perfect recipe to keep in your back pocket and pull out for all the upcoming special occasions, like Easter, Mother's Day, baby showers, bridal showers, etc.

Lavender lemon curd is a twist on the classic lemon curd recipe, and it tastes like sunshine in a jar. Here's what makes this recipe different:

1) It doesn't use eggs or butter. I thickened the curd with cornstarch instead. This is great because you don't have to waste precious eggs, and it's vegan! Also, you don't have to worry about the eggs curdling if you overcook it. That also means you don't have to strain it!

2) I infused the curd with flavor by tying lavender buds in cheesecloth and stirring it in the saucepan while cooking the curd. There are two types of dried lavender buds you can buy: English and French. English lavender is for eating; French is for fragrance. So make sure you use English lavender. Oftentimes, the lavender will say "culinary lavender."

A few more notes about this recipe...

After you remove the curd from the stove, it may seem too runny, but it will thicken as it cools.

I like to add turmeric to lemon curd to brighten the yellow. A little goes a long way. You won't taste it, but it isn't necessary.

You can make and store the tart shells up to two days in advance, but it is best to fill them the day you plan to eat them.

There will be plenty of leftover curd which you can use on scones, as filling in cakes, as a pancake topping, etc.

Lavender lemon curd flower tarts

Yield: Makes about 28 tarts, plus leftover lemon curd

Time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

Necessary equipment

• Mini muffin tin
• Flower cookie cutter (about 4" to 4.5" in diameter)
• Cheese cloth
• Twine

For the tarts

• 3 pre-made ready to roll pie crusts

For the lavender lemon curd

• 5 large lemons
• 3 Tablespoons dried lavender buds
• 1 1/2 cup milk, cow or dairy-free
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)

Directions

For the tarts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Unroll pie crust and use flower-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many flowers as possible. Combine scraps, roll out dough, and cut out more flowers. Repeat process until you run out of dough.
3. Place dough flowers in every other cavity of mini muffin tin, gently pressing down in the center so they touch the bottom.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and cool while you make lavender lemon curd.

For the lavender lemon curd

1. Use a microplane to zest lemons. 
2. Juice lemons until you have 1 cup juice.
3. Place lavender buds in center of cheesecloth. Fold and tie cheesecloth with twine.
4. Combine zest, juice, milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and optional turmeric in small saucepan and place lemon peel-lavender sachet in pan. Whisk over medium heat until mixture comes to simmer and starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Check temperature. Continue to cook until mixture reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, check doneness by dipping spoon in curd. If you can draw line on back of spoon and it holds, it's done.
5. Remove sachet from saucepan and pour lemon curd into heat-safe container. Refrigerate to cool.
6. When ready to serve, spoon curd into mini flower tarts and dust with powdered sugar. 
7. Store leftover curd in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Use leftover curd on scones, as cake filling, etc.

Rose and cardamom coconut pie

 My husband's birthday was the inspiration for the development of this rose and cardamom coconut pie!

There are several things that make this pie so special. The first is it doesn't have eggs! That's right, you don't have to fight anyone off to acquire eggs at the grocery store for this recipe. And a big benefit to not using eggs is that it's pretty foolproof. If you over bake it a little bit, you don't have to worry about the surface cracking. 

ALSO, it has a phyllo crust. So if pie dough is a barrier to you making pie, this is the perfect solution. Another great part about a phyllo crust is you don't have to parbake the crust, which you would normally need to do before baking a custard pie.

This recipe has rose water, and if you're unfamiliar with rosewater, it's important to know a little goes a long way. You can go from a pleasant rose taste to straight perfume very quickly. I'm pushing the limits a little bit with two tablespoons, but my husband LOVES rosewater. So if you're unsure, I recommend starting with one tablespoon, smelling it, and then reevaluating whether you want to add more.

Rose and cardamom coconut pie

Yield: One 9-inch pie

Time: About 90 minutes

Ingredients

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (106 grams) light brown sugar 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 400 milliliters unsweetened coconut cream
• 2 Tablespoons rose water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the crust

• 8 Tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• 8 sheets phyllo dough, thawed

Directions

For the filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Spread coconut flakes in even layer on baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until coconut is golden brown. Remove from oven and pour into medium mixing bowl.
3. Mix flour, both sugars, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt with coconut flakes.
4. Whisk in coconut cream, rose water, and vanilla extract until just combined. Set mixture aside.

For the crust

1. Brush 9-inch pie pan with melted butter and place on baking sheet for easier handling.
2. Unfold phyllo sheets and cover with damp towel.
3. Place one sheet of phyllo in pan and gently press it into bottom and sides with edges hanging over rim. Brush it lightly with butter.
4. Turn pan slightly and place another sheet of phyllo on top. The edges of the two sheets should be slightly staggered and not match up. Brush with butter.
5. Repeat with remaining phyllo and butter, making sure to stagger the sheets so the phyllo is evenly distributed.
6. Scrunch the overhanging phyllo around the edges to form a ruffled lip and brush with butter.
7. Pour filling mixture into crust and bake until filling is set around edges but still a little jiggly in center, about 45 to 55 minutes. 
8. Let pie cool to room temperature and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.