Sweet Spring

Brown Sugar - Lemon Tart

Spring is near and it feels like it today.  Warm, sunny, clear, slight breeze and nearing the end of spring break.  It has been an interesting week at The Orange Bee between bee adventures, the college search, March madness taking over every television we own and seeking to enjoy spring and the absence of our ordinary schedule.  I think we found an agreeable balance among all mentioned.  At one time or another we were all indulged our choice of “what to do” over the break.

To hear about my story of bee adventures gone awry go to the “Bees & Honey” page – Bee Thinking – Bee-wildered.  I’ve been told that bees are not easy to understand nor are they totally predictable.  I’m beginning to understand this phenomenon that surrounds the life of a bee.  I love my bees no matter my bewilderment.

We’ve been eating fairly heathy this week, at least on the days we were at home.  On the days we traveled we didn’t succumb to fast food too much, but we did eat out and I never feel as though our meals are as healthy as when we eat from my kitchen.  I’ve wanted a sweet little something all week so today I made Brown Sugar-Lemon Tarts.  I’ve had this recipe on my desktop for months and today I finally tried it.  I had more than one reason to try this tart recipe.  One reason is, I love lemon anything.  Lemon tarts, lemon cream, lemonade, lemon in tea, lemon meringue pie (that recipe will surface one day), lemon bars, lemon yogurt, lemon sorbet, lemon lip gloss, I like lemon.  Another reason I wanted to make tarts is I wanted to use my cute little wooden dough press.  You’ll see a photo of it later, it’s a handy little gadget that I need to use more often.  Also, this recipe states that it is an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe and I enjoy most of their foods.  The last reason is, I am ready to move it off of my cluttered desktop and file it in The Orange Bee files.

The actual recipe refers to this little sweet as Lemon Tarts.  I am re-naming it Brown Sugar-Lemon Tarts, as I taste brown sugar before I taste lemon.  The tart, sweet lemon flavor comes later, after a bite or two.  I made them in mini muffin tins.  You can make them in regular muffin tins if you prefer.  I did make a few in regulation size muffin tins and I notice adoring hubby keeps going for those.  However you might choose to make them I will say they are perfect morsels of sweetness.  They have a homey flavor, reminiscent of Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, pure, simple and delicious.

Enjoy!

Brown Sugar – Lemon Tarts

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar ( I used a mix of light and dark)
6 egg yolks
1 lemon, juice and rind
pinch salt
1 Pillsbury pie crust

Bring pie crust to a workable temperature.  Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter into rounds.  1 1/2″ for mini tin, 4″ for regular tin.  Line tin with dough and press into cups using dough press.

Mix filling by creaming together sugar and butter, blend with beaten egg yolks, adding lemon juice and rind and salt.  Fill dough using a spoon or scoop.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for about 15 minutes for mini tins and about 30 minutes for regular tins, or until filling is set and crust is golden brown.

Tarts to share

Recipe submitted by CM @ Cooks.com   Leave a little love and post a comment or cast a vote before you go.