Lemon Meringue Tart
User Reviews
4.6
Lemon Meringue Tart
Description
The Lemon Meringue Tart recipe combines a crumbly Sable Breton dough baked to a golden finish with a smooth lemon curd filling, prepared by cooking egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, starch, and lemon juice until thick and glossy, then enriching it with cold butter. The curd sits inside the cooled crust, topped with an Italian meringue made from egg whites whipped with a hot simple syrup and stabilizers to prevent weeping. The meringue is added just before serving to maintain its airy texture.
The final tart balances textures from the tender, buttery crust to the silky lemon curd and fluffy meringue topping. The lemon zest and vanilla add brightness throughout the layers, enhancing complexity. Baking the crust thoroughly and carefully cooking the curd to a nappé stage ensures a firm yet creamy center. The meringue’s stability derives from both the preparation method and the use of cream of tartar.
This tart is ideal for concluding a meal with a bright, textured dessert. It pairs well with tea or coffee and benefits from being brought to room temperature before serving to soften the crust slightly and let flavors open up. The tart can be made ahead and refrigerated, but the meringue topping should be added freshly to preserve its texture.
For storage, the tart without meringue freezes well up to one month when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the tart with the meringue, as it will ruin the meringue’s texture. Piping the meringue onto the tart right before serving maintains its glossy and airy quality.
Ingredients
Sable Breton
- 8 tbsp butter room temperature, unsalted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 Tbsp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Lemon Curd Filling
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3 egg room temperature, yolk
- 2 egg whole
- 1 cup lemon juice
- lemon finely grated, zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter 1.5 sticks, cubed and ice cold
Italian Meringue
- 4 egg room temperature, white
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Sable Breton
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Prepare your tart pan by lightly greasing it or lining with parchment paper.
- In the bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter, granulated sugar, flour, kosher salt, and vanilla extract until it creates a homogenous, yet very crumbly dough.
- Using slightly dampened hands, press the dough crumbs into the prepared dish in an even layer. Use a fork to dock the dough all over so it doesn't puff up while baking.
- Bake the tart crust for 30-33 minutes until the crust is completely cooked through. Let cool completely before filling with lemon curd.
- Lemon Curd Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar. Then whisk in everything except the vanilla and butter and whisk constantly until thickened, for 7-10 mins. Keep whisking until the warm lemon curd is nappé, or coats the back of a spoon, you can run a finger down it and it stays separated.
- Add the vanilla then the cold butter, one piece at a time, and whisk until incorporated before adding the next cube of butter.
- Remove from heat and pass the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve, if desired.
- Pour the warm lemon curd into the cooled, baked tart shell and smooth the top of the curd with the back of a spoon.
- Cover the tart with a sheet of plastic wrap and let cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
- Make the Meringue
- In a small saucepan over high heat with a candy thermometer attached, combine the granulated sugar and water, stirring only until it comes to a boil.
- Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring. Cook until sugar syrup registers 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on the thermometer.
- While the syrup rises to temperature, combine the room-temperature egg whites, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar in the very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set mixer to medium-high speed and whisk until soft peaks form (the lifted whisk should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves) about 2-3 minutes.
- When the sugar syrup comes to temperature, carefully and slowly drizzle in hot sugar syrup while the mixer is whisking at medium speed, avoiding the whisk in the bowl. Be careful. This hot syrup can burn you if you get it on you. Aim for a spot between the whisk and the side of the bowl.
- Once all the syrup is added, increase the mixer's speed to high and whisk on high speed until the bottom of the mixer bowl is cool to the touch, 10 minutes.
- Serving
- Remove the plastic wrap from the cooled lemon tart.
- Pipe or dollop the meringue onto the top of the lemon curd. If dolloping, use a spoon to make swoops and swirls for a more beautiful finish.
- Use a culinary torch to gently scorch and brown the meringue.
- Serve. The meringue is stable, it won't weep or deflate so you can decorate ahead of time.
Notes
- Prepare the tart and lemon curd in advance, refrigerate, and add the meringue just before serving to keep it stable.
- Allow the tart to come to room temperature before serving to soften the crust and enhance flavor.
- Freeze the unfilled tart wrapped tightly for up to one month; thaw overnight in the fridge before adding the meringue.
- Do not freeze the tart once topped with meringue, as this will affect the meringue texture adversely.
- Use a stabilized Italian meringue without baking it to avoid weeping and deflation issues common in lemon meringue recipes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 543 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 543kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 84g | 28% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 8g | 47% |
| Cholesterol | 146mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 162mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 72g | 144% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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