Lemon Meringue Tart

Ingredients

• 100 g Unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature)
• 65 g Powdered sugar (sift before use)
• 1 Vanilla bean (seeds scraped)
• 1 Egg (small, at room temperature)
• 1 pinch Salt
• 20 g Almond flour
• 160 g All‑purpose flour (sift)
• 3 Yellow lemons (organic if possible, zest and juice)
• 1 Lime (zest and juice, organic if possible)
• 150 g Caster sugar
• 3 Whole eggs (beaten)
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch (Maizena) (about 8 g, sifted)
• 150 g Sugar (for meringue)
• 60 g Water
• 75 g Egg whites (about 2‑3 whites, at room temperature)

Instructions

1. Prepare the shortcrust pastry

   In a bowl, cream the softened butter with sifted powdered sugar and vanilla seeds. Add the almond flour, the egg and a pinch of salt, mix. Then incorporate the sifted flour and work lightly until a homogeneous dough forms without over‑working it.

   Time: PT10M

2. Rest the dough

   Form a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic film and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

   Time: PT2H

3. Roll out and form the tart shell

   On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to 3 mm thickness. Line a 22 cm tart pan, trim the excess and smooth the edges with a sharp knife. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

4. Blind bake

   Preheat the oven to 160°C. Sprinkle the dough with baking weights (dry beans or baking beads) and bake for 30 minutes until the base is golden.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 160°C

5. Cool the base

   Remove the pan, let the base cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling.

   Time: PT30M

6. Prepare the lemon‑lime cream

   Zest one lemon and the lime, then squeeze the juice of all three lemons. Beat the three eggs in a bowl. In a saucepan, combine the juice, zest, caster sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils and the gritty mixture disappears. Pour in the beaten eggs all at once, continue cooking while stirring until thickened (pastry cream).

   Time: PT20M

7. Cool the cream

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the lemon‑lime cream cool to room temperature, covering the surface with plastic wrap in contact to prevent a skin.

   Time: PT30M

8. Pour the cream onto the base

   Pour the cooled lemon‑lime cream onto the tart base, smoothing lightly with an offset spatula.

   Time: PT5M

9. Prepare the Italian meringue

   In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat until 118°C (thermometer). Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Pour the hot syrup in a stream over the whites while continuing to whisk until the meringue is glossy, forms a “bird’s beak” and is completely cooled.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: 118°C

10. Pipe the meringue

    Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a Saint‑Honoré tip and decorate the tart by forming decorative peaks.

    Time: PT5M

11. Caramelize the meringue

    Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue until a golden caramel color is achieved. If no torch is available, place the tart under the oven broiler for 30 seconds, watching constantly.

    Time: PT2M

12. Final rest

    Let the tart rest for 15 minutes before serving so the meringue stabilizes.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Unsalted butter: margarine (not recommended)
• Instead of Powdered sugar: white sugar blended in a mixer
• Instead of Vanilla bean: 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Instead of Egg: 1 tbsp aquafaba (as binder)
• Instead of Almond flour: hazelnut flour
• Instead of All‑purpose flour: pastry flour
• Instead of Yellow lemons: Meyer lemons
• Instead of Lime: extra lemon juice
• Instead of Caster sugar: superfine sugar
• Instead of Cornstarch (Maizena): arrowroot
• Instead of Egg whites: 60 ml aquafaba

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rolling pin
• Parchment paper (optional)
• 22 cm tart pan
• Oven
• Saucepan
• Cooking thermometer
• Pastry bag with Saint‑Honoré tip (optional)
• Kitchen torch (optional)
• Offset spatula (optional)
• Cooling rack (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Do not over‑work the shortcrust dough (prevents a tough texture).
• Bake the base until golden to avoid sogginess.
• Cook the lemon‑lime cream without excessive boiling (prevents curdling).
• Reach exactly 118°C when preparing the syrup for the Italian meringue.
• Caramelize the meringue without burning it.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter for a flakier crust.
• Sift the flour and powdered sugar to avoid lumps.
• Prepare the syrup in a small saucepan for precise temperature control.
• Cool the lemon cream before pouring to avoid softening the base.
• For a shinier meringue, add a pinch of cream of tartar to the whites before whisking.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the tart in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended: the meringue loses its texture.

Room temperature: At room temperature, the tart remains ideal for 4 hours before the meringue softens.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the shortcrust pastry the day before and keep it chilled.
• The lemon‑lime cream can be made 24 h ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
• The Italian meringue is prepared just before serving to prevent it from collapsing.