LEMON MERINGUE TART

 

MMMMMMMM

 

INGREDIENTS

 

FOR THE LEMON FILLING
2 level tbsp cornflour
100g caster sugar
2 lemons zested
175ml lemon juice (5-7 lemons)
150ml water
85g butter chilled diced
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg beaten

Place the cornflour, lemon zest and sugar in a sauce pan and mix well.  Add the lemon juice and water and mix well.  Bring up to a gently simmer and keep stirring constantly until thick, smooth and shinny.  Take off the heat and stir in the butter until melted and the beat in the eggs yolks and beaten egg, beat quickly and when all incorporated place the pan back onto the heat and cook for a couple of minutes until thick and smooth again, take off the heat and leave to one side.

FOR THE MERINGUE

2 egg whites

100g caster sugar

 

A clean bowl is essential, I wipe my bowl round with a wedge lemon and dry with paper roll.  Whisk the egg whites on a medium setting until soft peaks then add the sugar one tbsp at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

FOR THE SWEET PASTRY
350g plain flour
small pinch of salt
150g unsalted butter
100g icing sugar
2 eggs beaten

In a bowl mix the butter until soft, mix in the sugar and the eggs until smooth, then gently mix in the flour and salt and slowly bring together to form a rough dough ball, knead a couple of times gently till smooth, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour, roll out and line your tart tins.

Blind bake the pastry tarts for 10 minutes at 190 degrees then for a further 5 minutes without the baking paper and beans. 

Place the lemon meringue filling in the pastry tart and top with the meringue, place back in the oven for 7-10 minutes until the peaks of the meringue are golden.