These luscious sweet and tart mini filo tartlets with lemon curd and fresh berries are the perfect dessert for Mother’s Day, all your spring gatherings and celebrations, and of course, all those upcoming graduation parties!
The great thing about these filo tartlets is that they are very easy to assemble, they can be made ahead of time, and they do not require any last minute fuss. These little tarts, are small, portable, and definitely attract attention! This makes them perfect for buffets, as your guests can just pick up one or more!
Essential Ingredients for the Mini Filo Tartlets with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries
- Filo pastry: good quality filo is a must for this recipe; my favorite is Fillo Factory
- Butter: to melt and brush on the layers of filo (salted or unsalted butter – either one is fine)
- Lemon Curd: you can use store-bought or, you can make your own (I usually make Ina Garten’s recipe)
- Fresh Berries: to top the filo tarts (any combination will be delicious)
- Powdered Sugar: a light dusting just before serving will make them look very pretty
Tips for working with filo pastry
Working with filo is not as tricky as people often think. In fact, the more comfortable you become working with it, the more you realize how forgiving filo pastry really is. Here are a few things to remember when working with filo:
- Defrost overnight: make sure that the filo dough is defrosted overnight in the refrigerator, then allowed to sit at room temperature for awhile before using
- Do not let it dry: filo pastry is essentially made with just flour and water, which results in light dishes with a great, crispy texture. The lack of fat in filo also means that it can dry out quickly, which is why it needs to be kept covered while we work with it
- Butter on each layer: each layer of filo needs to be brushed with melted butter (or, olive oil, if you are making a savory pastry); this step makes filo pliable and easier to form into the shape we want without it tearing
- Filo does not like getting wet: keep the surface you place it on dry and clean
- Good quality matters: finally, and most importantly as it will make your work easier, look for good quality filo
The three components of the Mini Filo Tartlets with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries
This delicious dessert recipe comes together easily in three easy steps, which makes them a great option for easy entertaining! Here are the three steps:
- Filo cups: prepare them and bake them ahead of time
- Lemon curd: make ahead the lemon curd and fill the baked filo cups with it
- Toppings: your favorite fresh berries, a dollop of whipped cream, or, just a dusting of powdered sugar
How to make the Mini Filo Tartlets with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries
- Form the filo cups by stacking four, thin sheets of filo one on top of the other; each one brushed with melted butter. Cut the layered filo into twelve – 4″ x 4″ squares
Press each square gently into muffin tins and bake until crispy and golden brown. Allow them to cool completely
- Just before serving, fill them with the lemon curd
- Top with fresh berries and lemon verbena leaves (optional)
Other ways to use these crispy filo cups
These flaky little pastry cups not only are easy to form, but they can be made ahead of time until you are ready to fill them with any sweet or savory fillings. You can refrigerate them in an airtight container for a day or two. Just before using them, place them on a baking tray in a hot oven for a few minutes to crisp them up again.
For longer storage, they can be stored in a container in the freezer, in a single layer (do not stack them as they are delicate) for up to a month. They will be ready when you need them!
The perfect dessert for every spring and summer entertaining
Delicious fresh berries are in abundance during the spring months. From strawberries to raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and so much more, this is the best season to enjoy them at their naturally sweet state. If you are looking for a quick, no fuss dessert, these easy mini filo tartlets with lemon curd and fresh berries will not disappoint. Light, flavorful, and so pretty, they make for the perfect ending to any celebration!
This recipe is a collaboration with Fillo Factory. You can find filo dough at Whole Foods, Wegman’s and several smaller local grocery stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!
- ½ package of filo dough (I used Fillo Factory), defrosted
- 12 oz. lemon curd
- 4 oz. butter, melted
- --- fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries)
- --- powdered sugar, for dusting
- --- lemon verbena leaves (optional), for decoration
- --- camomile flowers (optional), for decoration
- Allow the defrosted filo pastry to come to room temperature for at least half an hour
- Preheat the oven to 350° F
- Brush 12 muffin cups with melted butter. Each cup should have a capacity of about ⅓ cup
- On a clean, dry surface, lay out one sheet of filo and brush it with some melted (and cooled) butter
- Top the first sheet with a second one and brush it also with butter
- Repeat with a third and fourth sheet of filo
- Cut the stack of filo into 4" x 4" squares, for a total of 12 squares
- Gently press each square into the buttered muffin tins. Poke the bottoms with a fork (this will allow any steam to escape as they bake)
- Place in the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes, or, until the filo shells are crispy and golden brown
- Remove from the oven and let them cool outside the muffin pan, on a rack
- Just before serving, fill the cooled shells ⅔ of the way with the lemon curd
- Top with fresh berries (and tiny lemon verbena leaves, if using), dust with some powdered sugar, and serve!
This recipe is a collaboration with Fillo Factory. You can find filo dough (along with puff pastry) at Whole Foods and several small local stores. I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!
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Wow! Looks so great!
Thank you Kathy! We really enjoyed them on Mother’s Day!
I really like that you publish so many recipes that are bite-sized. These mini filo tartlets with lemon curd and berries was a very tasty and just-right ending to a dinner buffet we hosted a few weeks back. Your recipe won many admirers! Thank you!
Hi, I’d love to try this for an afternoon tea, but with so much else to do time is scarce. It stated that these could be made in advance, but how far in advance? Can I get them all assembled and put them in the fridge the day of the party or better, the night before? And, where would I find the lemon verbena leaves and camomile flowers? I’m not what you’d call a gardener!
Thanks so much!
Hi Victoria,
The filo cups can be made ahead of time and store them until you are ready to use them. The day before would be perfect. Have your lemon curd ready to fill them just before serving. Top with the berries and you are done! Do not worry about the lemon verbena and camomile leaves if you can’t find them, they are mainly for decoration. You can use some mint leaves instead:) I hope this helps!