If you’ve spent any time at all on Hither & Yond, you might have surmised that I love anything lemon! I use it in almost everything: lemon water, lemon in vinaigrette, lemon salt, Parisian lemon tart, & lemon meringue tartlets. Whenever a recipe calls for a certain amount of that wonderfully tart citrus, I usually double it because, well…it’s just never enough.
These “tartlets for two” came to life one year when Clay and I found ourselves alone on Easter. We just needed a little special something to be a light finale to our meal. I used a crust from a mini pecan tart recipe my Mom makes during the holidays, filled it with a lemon curd, and topped it with as much meringue as possible-because Clay loves a lot of meringue!
A Few Notes:
1. I used a 4” mini tart pan for this recipe, but you could use up to a 6”. The tart shell recipe used here is best for smaller tarts. If they are larger that 6”, the crust will not support the filling and meringue.
2. I also added one additional egg white to a meringue recipe I had traditionally used because I really wanted an abundance. This recipe has the added egg white in it. If you want to be conservative with your eggs and just use the one egg for both the curd and meringue, you will still have a beautiful result. If using just one egg, you can keep the sugar at 4 tsps. if you like it a little sweeter meringue, or reduce the sugar to 2 tsps. for something less sweet. Our preference is usually less sweet. ***Please be sure to check out the “Meringue Tips” at the bottom of the recipe.
3. Lastly, you can use any citrus you like for your curd, as well as a mixture. Lemon & orange, Lemon & lime, orange & lime, orange & grapefruit, etc. They are all delicious, and can be tailored to your season, celebration, or mood. Enjoy!
Lemon Meringue Tartlets for Two
Equipment
- 4” Tart Pans with Removeable Bottoms
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 Cup Flour All Purpose
- 1 1/2 Ounce Cream Cheese Half of the 3oz. Package
- 4 Tbsp Butter Cold and cut into small pieces
Filling
- 1 Egg Separated. Save the Egg White for the Meringue
- 3 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 1/4 Teaspoons Cornstarch
- 6 Tbsp Water
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest The zest of one lemon, Approximately
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice or citrus of your choice
- 1 Teaspoon Butter Optional
Meringue
- 2 Egg Whites, room temperature Use the Egg White reserved from the filling plus add one more
- 4 Teaspoons Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 325°F
- In a food processor, combine the Flour, Cream Cheese, and Butter. (If you don’t have a food processor, just combine the ingredients with a fork, using your hands at the end of mixing to bring it all together.) Pat the dough into a round shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the fridge for about 5-10 minutes.
- On your counter surface, spread out a large piece of plastic wrap and place the dough in the middle. Place another piece of plastic wrap-of the same size- over the top of the dough.Using your hand, press the dough into a flat round shape. Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough from the center in all directions until the dough is about 1/4” thick. Place your two 4” tart pans upside down on the dough, leaving a little extra space around them. Using a knife, loosely cut the dough around each pan. Turn your tart pans over. Using a metal spatula, pick up the dough rounds and place them into the tart pans. Gently press the dough so that it is evenly distributed on the bottom and the sides. Using a sharp knife, scrap across the top of the tart pans to remove any excess dough. (Start in the middle and go one way, and then the other.)
- Cut two rounds, (or 4 strips to criss-cross), of parchment paper and lay them into the tart shells. Fill them with pie weights or baking beans, to keep it weighted down while blind baking. **If you do not have baking beans, gently prick the bottom of the pastry dough with a fork in several places. This will help it to not puff up too much while baking.
- Bake the dough at 325°F for 25-30 minutes. Remove the tarts from the oven and allow them to cool 10 minutes before filling them.
Filling – Lemon Curd
- In a bowl, whisk 1 Egg Yolk and 3 Tbsp. Sugar together until they are very creamy and pale yellow in color. Whisk in the Cornstarch until everything is combined.
- In a small saucepan add Water, Lemon Zest, and Lemon Juice. Using medium heat, continually stir the ingredients until they come to a boil, then remove. Add Hot Mixture to Egg Mixture: Slowly and gradually whisk in about 1/2 of the hot Lemon-Water mixture into the Egg, Sugar, and Cornstarch mixture. Whisk continually until well combined.Add Egg Mixture back to Hot Mixture: Now add the Egg Mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the hot mixture, and continue to whisk. Return the saucepan to the stove. Whisking continually, cook over low heat for another 1-3 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and looks like a pudding. Optional: Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the 1 Teaspoon butter. This just adds a nice silky consistency to the curd.
- Spoon the mixture into each blind-baked tart shell and spread it evenly to the edges.
Meringue
- Have Oven Pre-heated to 400°F
- Using an electric mixer, beat the 2 room temperature Egg Whites at medium-high speed until they form soft peaks. About 3-4 minutes. (When you lift your beaters and there is a “peak” that forms and then gently folds over like a soft-serve ice cream, you have soft peaks.) Gradually, in a slow & steady stream, add the 4 Teaspoons of sugar while continuing to mix. Continue to mix until stiff peaks form. (Using the same test as above, the “peaks” will stay stiff and remain vertical when you have reached the “stiff peak” stage.)
- Divide the meringue between each tart and pile it as high as you prefer. A 4” tart can usually hold about 2”-2 1/2” of meringue. Make sure that the meringue is spread all the way out to the edge of the crust. Sealing the meringue and the crust will help prevent it from shrinking. Form several “peaks” on the meringue with a small spatula to give it dimension.
- Place the tarts on a sheet pan and bake for 5-7 minutes, until the meringue is a golden brown around the peaks.
- Remove from the oven and let the tarts cool for at least 30 minutes before removing the tart from the pan and serving. 3 Other Serving Tips:1. If serving the same day, these can be made 2-3 hours ahead of time. 2. If making these the day before, you can fully assemble & keep them in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature before serving. 3. You can make the tart shell and filling the day before. Keep the shell in a cool dry place and the filling in the fridge. On the day of serving, bring the filling to room temperature or slightly warm in a saucepan just before filling the tarts. Make the meringue, top, and bake.
Lovers of food, travel, and finding ways to celebrate everyday. As we share our favorite culinary journeys, travel inspirations, love of cultures, and heritage, we would be honored if you would join us as we go Hither & Yond!