Instructions: Make the Lemon Curd: Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Using a whisk, combine mixture. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon; make sure to stir sides and bottom of saucepan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from heat. Hold a fine sieve over a medium bowl, and push mixture through sieve with the back of a ladle. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon to incorporate into a smooth consistency. Transfer to a medium bowl. Lay plastic wrap directly on surface to avoid forming a skin, and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator until firm and chilled, about 3 hours. Lemon Curd may be made up to 1 day in advance.

Make the Poppy-Seed Pate Sucree: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour, sugar, and poppy seeds in food processor. Add butter; process until mixture resembles coarse meal, approximately 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water and egg yolks through the feed tube, and process until the dough holds together. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press into a flat circle. Wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.

Coat tartlet pans with cooking spray. On a lightly floured board, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a round 3 1/2-inch pastry cutter, cut out 36 circles. Press dough into molds, and place a second tartlet pan of the same size on top; press the two together lightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes; when the pastry begins to brown around the edges, remove the top pan, and continue baking until the pastry dries out and turns golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Make the Candied Lemon Slices: Using a mandoline, cut lemons into thin slices. Place sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add lemon slices to sugar water; bring to a second boil. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. Store refrigerated in covered plastic container up to 1 week.

Make the Sweetened Whipped Cream: Place cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer, and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Prepare as close to serving time as possible.

To assemble, follow these instructions. Place Lemon Curd in a pastry bag, fitted with a #7 round piping tip. Pipe approximately 2 tablespoons curd into the center of each Poppy-Seed Pate-Sucree shell. Drain the Candied Lemon Slices from the syrup, and remove any seeds. Fit another pastry bag with a #35 star tip, and fill with Sweetened Whipped Cream. Place one Candied Lemon Slice on top of each Lemon Curd, and finish with a rosette of Sweetened Whipped Cream. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, and serve. Assemble as close to serving time as possible.

This recipe yields 2 dozen.

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