Tarte au Citron Meringuée

Prep time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Total time: ~3 hours (includes cooling)

Servings: 8 slices

Country of Origin

France

Description

A masterclass in flavor and texture balance. A sweet, buttery crisp pastry shell is filled with an intensely tart, velvety lemon curd, then blanketed under a mountain of sweet, pillowy toasted Italian meringue.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served chilled in clean, dramatic slices. The meringue top is swirled beautifully and toasted with a torch to give it golden-brown ridges.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

• 200g all-purpose flour

• 100g cold butter (cubed)

• 50g powdered sugar

• 1 large egg yolk

For the Lemon Curd:

• 4 large eggs

• 150g sugar

• 4 lemons (juiced and zested)

• 120g butter (softened)

For the Meringue:

• 3 large egg whites

• 150g sugar

• 3 tbsp water

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Make Crust: Blend flour, butter, and powdered sugar until sandy. Stir in the egg yolk. Press into a 9-inch tart pan, chill for 30 minutes, then blind-bake at 180°C (350°F) with weights for 15 minutes, and 5 minutes without weights.

2. Make Curd: Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a bowl over simmering water. Stir constantly until thick. Whisk in the butter until glossy. Pour into the baked shell and chill.

3. Make Italian Meringue: Boil sugar and water to 118°C (244°F). Whip egg whites to soft peaks, then slowly stream the hot sugar syrup into the whites while whipping constantly on high speed until cool and glossy.

4. Assemble & Toast: Pipe or pile the meringue over the lemon curd. Use a kitchen torch to toast the outside until golden brown.

Optional

• Lime Twist: Replace one of the lemons with lime juice and zest for a punchy lemon-lime profile.

Cooking Tips

• Seal the Edges: When spreading the meringue, make sure it touches the pastry crust all the way around. This anchors the meringue and keeps it from weeping or shrinking away from the edges.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~420 kcal

• Total Fat: 22g

• Saturated Fat: 13g

• Cholesterol: 185mg

• Sodium: ~190mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 52g

• Dietary Fiber: 1g

• Sugars: 38g

• Protein: 6g