Lemon Meringue Tart
Could you tell yet that tarts are my favorite dessert? Well, if not, here is another one to prove it! A classic lemon meringue pie…but in a tart… with a sweet shortcrust pastry shell, a tart lemon curd, and a perfectly sweet and toasted meringue. Served cold, this is a fantastic dessert for a hot summer day, bursting with lemon-y freshness. The great thing is you can do so much with the leftover lemon curd too. I like to use it on top of pancakes or waffles for breakfast, fill cupcakes with it, or even just as it’s own dessert out of the jar if you like a little tart kick to your dessert!
What you’ll need. . .
For the tart shells:
butter
flour
sugar
salt
eggs, separated
water
vanilla
For the curd:
lemons
granulated sugar
egg yolks
whole eggs
cornstarch
butter
For the meringue topping:
egg whites
granulated sugar
cream of tartar
vanilla
For the tart : Beat butter in stand mixer until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt. Beat together two egg yolks with water. Add dry ingredients to butter in parts, beating in between additions. Add the eggs to the mixture and then the vanilla. When dough clumps together, remove from stand mixer and wrap well with plastic wrap. Place in fridge overnight.
For the Lemon Curd: Prepare a medium saucepan. Zest and juice your lemons into the saucepan. Add the sugar, eggs +yolks, and cornstarch into the saucepan as well, and cook on medium heat, while whisking, until thickened. Add butter one cube at a time and continue to mix until it is melted. Turn off stove and pass the curd through a strainer. Let it come to room temperature, then refrigerate for about 2 hours, or longer. (It will thicken and become a bit more pale in color as it cools.)
Once ready to assemble . . .
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out and place in pre-buttered tart pan (with removable bottom). Pre-heat oven to 375F. Prick the tart with a fork and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Remove from freezer and cover the tart pan with parchment baking paper and fill middle with dried beans or rice (or pie weights if you have those) so that the dough does not rise while baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes this way. Then remove from oven, remove beans/rice/weights/parchment paper and cover with egg wash (your egg whites from the tart ingredients+ 1 tbsp water). Return to oven for a few minutes until golden-brown. Make sure it doesn’t burn! Let the tart cool to room temperature before removing from pan. Once cooled, pour your lemon curd into the tart and make sure it is smooth.
Prepare the meringue. Place the bowl of your stand mixer over a saucepan of just boiling water (not touching the water). In this bowl, add your egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and whisk until the sugar dissolves (about 6 mins). Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat to firm peaks. Add vanilla and beat to stiff peaks. Spoon the meringue onto the curd. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue carefully. Enjoy!
Some Notes. . .
- You can store the curd for about 2 weeks in an airtight jar in the refrigerator, or freeze it for about 3 months.
- This recipe gives you extra tart dough and curd. I usually make one larger tart and a bunch of mini ones, or you can make a couple large round ones/large rectangle etc. The curd is great as a topping on other treats as well.
If you liked this recipe, you might want to try. . .
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Lemon Curd Tart
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry Tart Shell
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cup flour
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs separated
- ¼ cup water 1 tbsp removed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond emulsion
Lemon Curd
- 3 large lemons or 5 smaller ones
- 1⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks save the egg whites for the meringue topping
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1½ cup butter cut into cubes
Meringue Topping
- 3 egg whites
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Shortcrust Pastry Tart Shell
- Beat butter in stand mixer until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt. Beat together two egg yolks with water. Add dry ingredients to butter in parts, beating in between additions.
- Add the eggs to the mixture and then the vanilla. When dough clumps together, remove from stand mixer and wrap well with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator overnight.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out and place in pre-buttered tart pan (with removable bottom). Pre-heat oven to 375F. Prick the tart with a fork and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and cover the tart pan with parchment baking paper and fill middle with dried beans or rice (or pie weights if you have those) so that the dough does not rise while baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes this way.
- Remove from oven, remove beans/rice/weights/parchment paper and cover with egg wash (your egg whites+ 1 tbsp water). Return to oven for a about 15 minutes, until shiny.
- Let the tart cool to room temperature before removing from pan.
Lemon Curd
- Prepare a medium saucepan. Zest and juice your lemons into the saucepan. Add the sugar,eggs +yolks, and cornstarch into the saucepan as well, and cook on medium heat,while whisking, until thickened.
- Add butter one cube at a time and continue to mix until it is melted. Turnoff stove and pass the curd through a strainer. Let it come to room temperature, then refrigerate for about 2 hours, or longer.
Meringue Topping
- Place the bowl of your stand mixer over a saucepan of just boiling water (not touching the water). In this bowl, add your egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar,and whisk until the sugar dissolves (about 6 mins).
- Transfer the bowl back to the stand mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat to firm peaks. Add vanilla and beat to stiff peaks.
Assembly
- Pour your lemon curd into the tart and make sure it is smooth. Spoon the meringue onto the curd. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue carefully. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lemon curd will thicken and become more pale as it cools.
- You will have leftover shortcrust dough and curd if you only make one tart, which this recipe describes. You can store both (separately, the curd in a jar, and the dough in plastic wrap) sealed tightly in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. I like to also use the lemon curd in cupcakes, cakes, and as a breakfast topping. The shortcrust dough is great for any tart!