🍋✨ Modern Lemon Meringue Tart Dessert

Yield: 4 oval individual tarts

🥧 Portion 1: Sweet Tart Shell (Pâte Sucrée)

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour – 250g

Unsalted butter (cold, diced) – 125g

Icing sugar – 90g

Almond powder (optional for extra texture) – 30g

Egg yolk – 1

Whole egg – 1

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Salt – 1 pinch

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix flour, icing sugar, almond powder, and salt.

2. Add cold diced butter, rub with fingertips or use a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Add egg yolk, whole egg, and vanilla. Mix gently until dough comes together — do not overwork.

4. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Roll out dough to 3-4 mm thickness.

6. Cut into oval or egg shapes and line your tart rings/molds (or freeform).

7. Prick base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes.

8. Blind bake at 170°C (340°F) for 12-15 minutes with parchment and baking beans.

9. Remove beans and bake uncovered for another 5-7 minutes till golden.

10. Let cool.

🍋 Portion 2: Lemon Curd (Filling)

Ingredients:

Fresh lemon juice – 120ml

Lemon zest – 1 tsp

Egg yolks – 4

Whole egg – 1

Sugar – 120g

Unsalted butter – 80g (cubed, room temp)

Method: (Same as before)

1. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, lemon juice, and zest.

2. Cook over a double boiler, stirring until thickened.

3. Strain and whisk in butter until smooth.

4. Chill with cling wrap touching surface.

🍥 Portion 3: French Meringue (Top)

Ingredients:

Egg whites – 100g

Caster sugar – 200g

Vanilla – 1 tsp

Method:

1. Whip egg whites to soft peaks.

2. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks.

3. Add vanilla, mix gently.

4. Pipe decoratively on tart.

🔥 Portion 4: Biscuit Crumbs (Plate Edge Decoration)

Ingredients:

Digestive biscuits or butter cookies – 100g

Unsalted butter (melted) – 40g

Method:

1. Crush biscuits coarsely.

2. Mix with melted butter.

3. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 5-7 minutes until golden.

4. Let cool.

✨ Assembly

Tools:

Piping bag with petal or round nozzle

Blowtorch

Steps:

1. Place tart shell on serving plate.

2. Fill tart with lemon curd.

3. Pipe French meringue on top.

4. Torch until golden.

5. Sprinkle biscuit crumbs artistically along the edge of the plate (not on tart base) for visual appeal and texture.

6. Optionally, dust with lemon zest or edible gold.

✅ Final Presentation:

Elegant, crispy tart with silky lemon curd, airy toasted meringue, and crunchy crumb edge.