- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups lemon curd
- 1 cup chilled heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: poppy seeds
- Special equipment: 8 (3 1/2- by 2/3-inch) round tartlet pans
- Pulse together flour, confectioners sugar, salt, and poppy seeds in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together yolk, water, and lemon juice in a bowl, then add to processor and pulse until pea-size lumps form and dough holds together when squeezed. (Dough will appear slightly crumbly.)
- Press 1/4 cup dough evenly into each tart shell with floured fingers (dough will be moist) and lightly prick bottoms with a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
- Put shells on a baking sheet and bake in lower third of oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and, when shells are just cool enough to handle, carefully loosen edges with a thin knife and remove from pans.
- Fill each shell with 3 tablespoons lemon curd.
- Beat together cream with confectioners sugar and lemon juice in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Transfer to a pastry bag with a decorative tip and pipe onto curd (or dollop frosting with a spoon).