Heart with Lemon (Lemon Meringue Tart)

Ingredients

• 100 g All-purpose flour (Sift before use)
• 75 g Granulated sugar (For the shortcrust)
• 2 Egg yolks (Separate from whites)
• 65 g Almond powder (Gives the Breton flavor)
• 140 g Unsalted butter (Soften in microwave on low power)
• 90 g Egg whites (About 3 whites, at room temperature)
• 180 g Granulated sugar (meringue)
• 150 ml Fresh lemon juice (About the juice of 3 lemons)
• 4 Egg yolks (lemon cream)
• 2 Whole eggs (For the texture of the custard)
• 150 g Granulated sugar (lemon cream)
• 25 g Cornstarch (Avoid lumps)
• 150 g Unsalted butter (lemon cream) (Add cold, at warm temperature)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Breton shortcrust

   Melt the butter in the microwave on low power until it becomes pliable. In a bowl, whisk the softened butter with the granulated sugar for 20 s. Add the almond powder, the two egg yolks and mix. Finally fold in the flour with a spatula until a homogeneous dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Shape the heart and bake the shortcrust

   Butter the inside of the heart ring, place a sheet of parchment paper and spread the dough with a spoon to cover the entire surface. Bake on a tray lined with parchment paper in a pre‑heated oven at 170 °C for 20 minutes, until the shortcrust is lightly golden.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: 170°C

3. Let the shortcrust cool

   Remove the shortcrust from the oven, place it on a rack, remove the ring and parchment paper, then let it cool completely.

   Time: PT15M

4. Prepare the meringue

   Pour the egg whites into the mixer bowl, add a pinch of sugar and start whisking. When the whites are three‑quarters stiff, gradually incorporate the remaining sugar (180 g) until a firm, glossy, well‑held meringue forms.

   Time: PT10M

5. Pipe the meringue into a heart shape

   Draw the heart outline on a sheet of parchment paper, flip the sheet over, and using a pastry bag fitted with a Saint‑Honoré tip, pipe the border then fill the interior following the outline.

   Time: PT5M

6. Slow bake the meringue

   Bake the meringue in the same pre‑heated oven at 100 °C for 1 hour 45 minutes (or until it feels dry to the touch).

   Time: PT1H45M

   Temperature: 100°C

7. Prepare the lemon custard – cooking the juice

   Pour the lemon juice into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

   Time: PT5M

8. Temper the eggs and cornstarch

   In a bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks, the 2 whole eggs, the sugar (150 g) and the cornstarch (25 g) until smooth and free of lumps.

   Time: PT5M

9. Cook the lemon custard

   Pour the boiling lemon juice over the egg mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly, then return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until thickened (about 7 minutes). Once boiling is reached, let it boil for an additional minute.

   Time: PT7M

10. Incorporate the butter into the custard

    Remove the saucepan from the heat, let it cool slightly, then whisk in the cold unsalted butter (150 g) cut into small cubes until fully melted and the cream is silky.

    Time: PT5M

11. Cool the custard

    Transfer the custard to a container, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate until completely cooled (about 30 minutes).

    Time: PT30M

12. Final assembly

    On the cooled shortcrust, pipe the lemon custard using a medium tip to form a border around the heart then fill the interior. Gently place the baked meringue on top, drizzle with a splash of lime juice and decorate to taste.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

757

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

70 g

Fat

45 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Egg yolks: Pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Almond powder: Ground almonds
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine (changes flavor)
• Instead of Egg whites: Reconstituted powdered egg whites
• Instead of Granulated sugar (meringue): Powdered sugar
• Instead of Fresh lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice
• Instead of Egg yolks (lemon cream): Pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Whole eggs: Pasteurized whole eggs
• Instead of Granulated sugar (lemon cream): Cane sugar
• Instead of Cornstarch: Rice flour
• Instead of Unsalted butter (lemon cream): Margarine

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Hand or electric whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Heart‑shaped ring (22 cm)
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack
• Saucepan (20 cm)
• Kitchen thermometer (optional) (optional)
• Pastry bag with Saint‑Honoré tip
• Oven
• Plastic wrap
• Cutting board

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Achieve a homogeneous shortcrust dough without over‑working the flour.
• Whisk the egg whites to firm, glossy peaks.
• Slow bake the meringue at 100 °C to prevent browning.
• Temper the butter in the lemon custard for a silky texture.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use butter at room temperature to ease mixing.
• For a perfectly clean heart, draw the outline on parchment paper with a pencil before piping the meringue.
• A splash of lime juice just before serving lifts the lemon flavor.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the whole tart 2‑3 days in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.

Freezer: Not recommended: the meringue loses its crunchy texture.

Room temperature: Consume the same day, otherwise refrigerate.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Bake the shortcrust and meringue the day before and store them separately in the refrigerator.
• The lemon custard can be prepared 24 h in advance and kept chilled.