Lemon Meringue Tart

Ingredients

• 125 g Unsalted butter (cold, diced)
• 50 g Powdered sugar
• 1 Whole egg (size L)
• 150 g All‑purpose flour
• 30 g Almond powder
• 150 ml Fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons from Menton)
• 2 Lemon zest (finely grated, white removed)
• 150 g Granulated sugar
• 3 Eggs (for the lemon curd)
• 2 Egg yolks (in addition to the 3 eggs)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (for the curd) (cut into small dice)
• 120 g White sugar
• 30 ml Water
• 3 Egg whites (at room temperature)

Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet pastry

   In the robot bowl, mix the cold diced butter with the powdered sugar until a sandy consistency is achieved. Add the egg, flour, almond powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk quickly until a homogeneous ball forms.

   Time: PT20M

2. Dough rest

   Flatten the ball slightly, wrap in plastic film and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

3. Line the tin

   On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 3 mm thickness. Place it in the tart ring, gently press the edges, trim the excess and prick the base with a fork.

   Time: PT15M

4. Blind bake the tart shell

   Place parchment paper in the base and fill with baking beads (or dried beans). Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, remove the beads and paper, then bake an additional 5 minutes to lightly brown.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 180°C

5. Prepare the lemon curd

   In a saucepan, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, eggs and yolks. Heat over low heat while whisking constantly until the mixture reaches 82°C (or until visibly thickened).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: feu doux

6. Incorporate the butter

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the diced butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated. Blend with an immersion blender for 5 minutes to obtain an ultra‑smooth texture.

   Time: PT5M

7. Cool the lemon curd

   Pour the curd into a container, cover with plastic film in contact and let cool for 5 minutes, then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

   Time: PT35M

8. Prepare the Italian meringue – syrup

   In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil. Cook without stirring until 121°C.

   Time: PT5M

9. Prepare the Italian meringue – whisk

   In the robot bowl, start whisking the egg whites at medium speed. As soon as the syrup reaches 114°C, pour it in a thin stream while increasing the speed. Continue whisking until the meringue reaches stiff peaks and forms a small bird’s beak (about 121°C).

   Time: PT10M

10. Pipe the meringue

    Fill a piping bag fitted with a Saint‑Honoré tip (or use a spatula) and place the meringue in a rosette on the cooled lemon curd.

    Time: PT5M

11. Caramelize the meringue

    Place the meringue under the oven grill preheated to 250°C for 2‑3 minutes or use a kitchen torch moving in circular motions until a golden colour is achieved.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 250°C

12. Final rest and serving

    Let the tart rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting into 8 portions.

    Time: PT40M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Unsalted butter: vegetable margarine
• Instead of Powdered sugar: blended granulated sugar
• Instead of Whole egg: organic chicken egg
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: T55 wheat flour
• Instead of Almond powder: homemade almond flour
• Instead of Fresh lemon juice: organic lemon juice
• Instead of Lemon zest: orange zest
• Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of Eggs: organic chicken eggs
• Instead of Egg yolks: pasteurized egg yolks
• Instead of Unsalted butter (for the curd): semi-salted butter
• Instead of White sugar: cane sugar
• Instead of Egg whites: pasteurized egg whites

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer or blender
• Whisk
• Saucepan
• Cooking thermometer
• Rolling pin
• 18 cm tart ring
• Parchment paper
• Plastic film
• Piping bag + Saint‑Honoré tip (optional)
• Oven
• Kitchen torch or oven grill function (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Dough rest in the fridge (1 h) to avoid shrinking
• Cook the lemon curd to 82°C without coagulating the eggs
• Reach exactly 121°C for the meringue syrup
• Pour the hot syrup onto the whites while whisking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Zest the lemon with a microplane to obtain very fine zest that releases more aroma.
• For visual effect, add a few candied lemon zest pieces on the meringue before caramelising.
• Use butter at room temperature in the lemon curd for smoother incorporation.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the whole tart, covered, up to 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the meringue loses its texture.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours after serving.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough and keep it refrigerated for 24 hours before use.
• The lemon curd can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator.
• The meringue should be piped just before serving to retain its crunch.