Cakes and Pastries Recipes - Lemon Meringue Tart Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8:

• 16 oz shortbread dough (refer recipe)

• 1/2 oz butter

Lemon cream:

• 3 small eggs

• 9 oz sugar

• 8 1/2 oz crème fraiche

• zest of 2 lemons

• juice of 8 lemons

• 3 oz butter

Italian meringue:

• 8 1/2 oz sugar

• 4 egg whites

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Method:

1. Prepare the lemon cream: combine the eggs, sugar, and cream. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and finally the melted butter. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 370°F/190°C.

3. Roll out the dough. Line a greased tart pan. Cover with baking paper and fill with dried beans. Bake blind for 10 minutes. Discard both the paper and the beans. Pour the cream into the crust.

4. Increase oven temperature to 430°F/220°C. continue cooking for another 20 minutes.

5. Prepare the Italian meringue: cook the sugar and 3 tablespoons of water over high heat until the mixture reaches the correct consistency. You can test this by dripping some into cold water; it should form a soft ball. In a bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.

6. Pour the syrup slowly into the egg whites, pouring against the sides of the bowl and whisking all the time. The mixture should cool completely.

7. Spread the meringue on top of the tart. Allow to dry in a turned off oven for 30 minutes.