Tea Cake Recipes - Orange Tartlets with Meringue Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups/250 g all purpose/plain flour

• 2 tbsp confectioners'/icing sugar

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 2/3 cup/150 g butter, cut up

• 1 large egg

• 1-2 tbsp water

• 1/2 cup/125 ml orange curd  

MERINGUE TOPPING:

• 2 large egg whites

• 2 tsp water

• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup/100 g superfine/caster sugar

• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest

• curls of orange zest, to decorate

• 1 tbsp confectioners'/icing sugar, to dust

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Method:

1. Pastry: Sift the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt into a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2. Add the egg and enough water to form a dough. Divide the dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. Set out four 12-cup mini muffin pans. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch (3 mm).  

4. Use a 2-inch (5-cm) round cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out rounds until there are at least 48 rounds.

5. Press the rounds into the prepared cups and prick all over with a fork.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is pale gold. Cool completely in the pans. Drop 1/2 teaspoon of the orange curd into each pastry base.

7. Meringue Topping: Stir the egg whites, water, cream of tartar, and salt in a double boiler until blended.

8. Cook over low heat, beating constantly with a hand­held electric mixer at low speed until the mixture registers 160°F (71 °C) on an instant-read thermometer.

9. Transfer to a bowl and beat at high speed, gradually adding the superfine sugar until stiff peaks form. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch (1-cm) star tip.

10. Fill the pastry bag with the meringue and squeeze over the tarts in a decorative manner.

11. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool completely in the pans. Decorate with the orange curls and dust with confectioners' sugar.