Lemon Meringue Tart
User Reviews
4.6
171 reviews
Excellent
Lemon Meringue Tart
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This from-scratch lemon meringue tart has a buttery vanilla shortbread crust, bright and creamy lemon filling, and beautiful Italian meringue. It's practically begging for a place at your next party!
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Ingredients
Sable Breton
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Lemon Curd Filling
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks room temperature
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup lemon juice
- zest of 2 lemons finely grated
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 12 tbsp 1.5 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and ice cold
Italian Meringue
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
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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
- You can make everything the day before and store it in the fridge, but I suggest topping the lemon tart with the meringue just before serving.
- Bring the tart out of the fridge an hour before serving to take the chill off. You can pipe the meringue on then.
- Do not freeze the tart with the meringue, it will ruin the texture of the meringue.
- Chill the tart as per the recipe, prior to making and decorating the meringue. Then wrap the tart in its pan in plastic wrap three times, pressing gently so there's no air in between the layers. Then wrap the tart in two layers of aluminum foil, pressing any air out again. Freeze the lemon tart for up to 1 month.
- Thaw the lemon tart in the fridge overnight, then remove all the wrappings and place the tart in an airtight container. Decorate with your meringue before serving and eat the tart within 2 days.
- FAQs
- Yes! Press the tart shell dough into a greased muffin tin and dock with a fork, cover with parchment paper, add the pie weights, and bake for 20 minutes. Then continue the recipe as is. Makes 12 lemon meringue tartlets!
- Yes, store the lemon meringue tart in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- My recipe for lemon meringue does NOT weep or get watery. Why? The meringue is a highly stabilized meringue that doesn't deflate or weep. We also aren't baking it, which if not done perfectly, can cause the lemon curd to become loose and watery and the meringue to degrade.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1g
Calories
543kcal
(27%)
Carbohydrates
84g
(28%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
8g
Cholesterol
146mg
(49%)
Sodium
162mg
(7%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
72g
(144%)
Nutrition 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.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
171 reviews
Excellent
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