Lemon Meringue Tart

Lemon meringue tarts are one of the most favourite desserts in my family.  Before I can even make the meringue to go on top, everyone is asking if they can eat it.  But the wait is so worth it.

This lemon meringue tart is so delicious. It has a shortcrust pastry as the casing for the tart, a tangy lemon custard for the filling and a fluffy meringue top.

If you love lemons I recommend you make this tart.  There are a few steps involved in making it but the end result and taste is worth the trouble.

You can make this lemon tart without adding the meringue top if you don't like meringue or just can't wait to eat it.

Because Spring is in the air, I used some cherry blossoms from my garden to decorate the lemon meringue tart.

Happy Baking xo

Lemon Meringue Tart

Ingredients

· 1 cup plain flour
· ¼ cup icing sugar
· 90 grams butter, chopped
· 1 egg, separated

Filling

· 4 eggs
· 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
· ¾ cup lemon juice
· ¾ cup caster sugar
· ½ cup thickened cream

Meringue

· 3 large egg whites
· ⅔ cup caster sugar

Instructions

1. Blend or process flour, icing sugar and butter until combined. Add the egg yolk ONLY (reserve the egg white for the filling) and process until all ingredients just start to come together.

2. Knead the mixture lightly on a bench until a

dough forms. Wrap dough in cling wrap and cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Grease or spray with oil a 24 cm loose-based flan tin.

4. Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line the flan tin. Ease the pastry over the flan tin and press it to the side and trim the edges. Freeze for 15 minutes.

5. While waiting for the pastry to rest, preheat the oven to 180°C.

6. Cover the pastry with baking paper and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and beans or rice and bake the pastry for a further 5 to 10 minutes until lightly brown. Carefully shield the side of the pastry with foil if over-browning.

7. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C.

Filling

8. Whisk eggs, egg white, rind, lemon juice, sugar and cream in a medium bowl.

9. Using a strainer or sieve pour mixture through to make it smooth.

10. Pour mixture into the pastry case and bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Allow the lemon tart to cool and refrigerate until cold.

Meringue Top

11. Place egg whites into a clean bowl and on low speed beat until small bubbles form and then increase speed and beat until stiff peaks.

12. Gradually add the sugar and beat until glossy and sugar has dissolved.

13. Place meringue into piping bag and pipe meringue around the lemon tart.

14. Place lemon tart under a hot grill or using a blowtorch, toast meringue until golden.

15. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Tips

· Remember to reduce the oven temperature for the final bake of the lemon tart.

· If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and icing sugar until it resembles bread crumbs and then knead to form the pastry dough.

· You can also place the meringue tart into the oven for about 5-8 minutes so the meringue tips turn golden.

Did you bake this recipe?

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so I can see your wonderful bakes.