Italian Lemon Tartlets

This is my first blog as a "foodie." I usually just post random meals and desserts on Facebook and one day a friend said, "you should start a blog." Today, after going through a bazillion, unorganized recipes, I thought, "Hmm, maybe a blog will help keep my recipes organzied!" So here goes. This recipe, as with many of my recipes, come from taking ideas from other recipes to create a dish or dessert to my own liking. This dessert is an Italian Lemon Tart. I was really craving lemon tarts after buying Dickinson's Lemon Curd for some reason. I just couldn't find exactly what I wanted! So I searched the web to find the Frankenstein parts to create a creamy, lemony tartness with a snap of ginger. Oh my! You will have to stop yourself from eating several before anyone even knows they are gone!

1 jar Dickinson's lemon curd (in jam isle of Safeway or Fred Meyer)
30 gingersnap cookies
4 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
3/4 C. chilled whipping cream
1/2 C. white sugar
1/2 - 8 oz. container mascarpone cheese
1-2 tbs. limoncello (optional) (an italian liqueur)


Preheat oven to 350 deg. use muffin cup liners to line a standard size muffin tin.

For tart:
Use food processor to crush cookies until a somewhat even crumb is achieved.
Place crumbs in a bowl and combined with melted butter until mixed.
Distribute crumb mixture evenly among muffin cups.
Using hands press crumb mixture flat along the bottom and up sides of muffin cups.
Place approx. 1 tbs of lemon curd in each crumb tart.
Bake in 350 deg oven for about 7-8 min.
While still hot, spread warm lemon curd to the edges of the bottom of each tart.
Let cool completely. (over refrigerate overnight)

For whipped cream:
in a medium bowl add 3/4 C chilled whipping cream and 1/2 container of mascarpone cheese.
Add sugar and limonello
Using hand mixer, beat until stiff peaks form. (Whipped cream consistency)
Spoon whipped cream into a sandwich size baggie. Cut off one corner to create piping bag.
Pipe whipped cream on to cool or chilled tarts.
Add a blueberry on top for accent. :)
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