• Before starting, you can break down each of the three components a few days apart. Lemon curd stores very well in the refrigerator. I made the tart shells one day before assembling these tarts.
• I used six non-stick tartlet pans, so I added 50% more ingredients. Otherwise, this should be enough dough for an 8-inch tart pan.

For the tartlets (or tart):

• Whisk together flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the lemon zest in a large bowl.

  Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until dough begins to hold together.
• Note: I used my food processor, and pulsed the dough until it resembled coarse crumbs. Stir together 1 tablespoon water and vanilla, then mix into dough.
• Note: I used the food processor, and pulse this until the dough just started to come together. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Using your fingers, press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Note: I used a rolling pin to individual cut the dough to fit into each tartlet pan.
• Dock each tartlet (with a fork) or tart, to prevent too much puffing of the dough while baking.
• Freeze for 30 minutes, to prevent shrinkage of the dough.
• Bake tart shell until golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the curd:

• In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, zest, and egg yolks; whisk in lemon juice and salt.
• Add butter and place pan over medium-high.
• Cook, whisking constantly, until butter has melted, mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and small bubbles form around the edge of pan, about 5 minutes (do not boil).
• Remove pan from heat while continuing to whisk. Pour curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bowl. Press plastic wrap against the surface of curd and refrigerate until cool.

For the meringue:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy.
• Gradually add granulated sugar.
• Increase speed and whisk until meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
• Whisk in vanilla until just combined and continue blending until it forms soft peaks.

Final touches:

• To make this look fancy, pipe with a large star tip. Otherwise, top with the meringue and make swirls with the back of a spoon.
• I use a small kitchen blow torch to brown the meringue, or place under a broiler and watch very closely until just slightly browned.