An easy way to cheer you up during the thick of winter! San Diego winter is nothing compared to other parts of the country but nonetheless, we persevere… with lemon meringue tartlets in hand. These sweet, tangy tartlets are the perfect bite to bring a smile to your face! Buttery crust, lemony bright filling, topped with swirls of marshmallow meringue. C’mon.
Ingredients
TART SHELL
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp fine kosher salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract, (I use my homemade vanilla extract or even vanilla bean paste!)
2 cups, 3 tbsp all purpose flour
LEMON FILLING
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks, save egg whites for marshmallow meringue
1/2 cup, 3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed!
1/4 cup, 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
MARSHMALLOW MERINGUE
4 large egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1-2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
TART SHELLS
Mix softened butter and sifted powdered sugar together until creamy. Add in salt and mix again, just until combined.
Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Next, add in flour in parts, mixing after adding each part, until just combined.
Turn out dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, form together into a flat disk measuring about 1/2 inch height. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and let dough rest on counter for about 5-10 minutes prior to rolling out.
Get your tart pans out and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Next, roll the dough out until about 1/8 inch thick. Use your tart pans to help if needed and cut out circles of dough, roughly about 1 inch bigger than your tart pans. Re-roll out the dough and scraps for the remaining tarts you are making. (This recipe yielded about six 4 inch tartlets for me.)
Place the sheets of dough on top of your tart pans and gently press the dough into the bottom and ridges of each pan. Use a rolling pin to roll off the top of each pan to cut off the excess dough.
Use a fork to prick a few holes in the bottom of each tart shell.
Place a piece of parchment paper into each tart shell and fill with either pie weights or uncooked rice. Continue doing this with each tart until complete.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Take out the tart shells and remove parchment paper and pie weights/uncooked rice. Put the shells back in the oven and continue baking until the edges are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Once out of the oven for the second time, allow shells to cool in pans for about 10 minutes before removing them from pans to cool completely.
FILLING
Stir together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot on medium heat until it thickens into a custard-y like substance. This takes about 10-15 minutes. Whisk consistently.
Once thickened, take the pot off the stove/away from the heat. Add in nubs of butter, a little bit at a time. Continue mixing until all butter has been fully incorporated and the substance is smooth.
Transfer filling to a bowl and gently press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard to avoid having a “skin” form on the top of the custard while it is cooling.
ASSEMBLY
Allow the custard to cool to room temperature and then fill each tart shell.
Chill the tartlets in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but ideally overnight. This allows the custard to fully set prior to consuming.
*Once the tartlets have set and you are ready to serve. Allow the tartlets to sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes while you make the marshmallow meringue.
MARSHMALLOW MERINGUE
Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl (ideally, you want a glass bowl, but a metal one would work just fine!). Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the heatproof bowl make contact with the simmering water. You want to create a sort of double boiler situation. Of course, if you have a double boiler, this is a great time to use it!
Whisk the contents in the bowl together consistently for about 3-4 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly and become frothy on top. A good way to test if you have reached the correct consistency is to quickly dip your finger in the mixture and rub it between your thumb and index finger. If you do not feel any sugar granules, then the mixture is ready! You could also use a food thermometer for this; the temperature the mixture needs to reach is about 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71°C).
*Note: The mixture in the double boiler will be very hot, so do be careful if using the finger method!
Once ready, remove the mixture from the heat and immediately add in the vanilla extract.
Next, either using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, mix everything together on high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is able to form stiff, glossy peaks.
This marshmallow meringue can be piped, spread, or swirled onto the tartlets at this point. I use a Ziplock bag and cut off a small triangle at the bottom of one of the corners of the bag. I then insert a piping nozzle with a fun design and fill the bag with meringue. Of course, you can use a traditional piping bag here. But, the Ziplocks will do in a pinch!
Decorate your tartlets as you wish and I personally loved torching my meringue, once piped onto the tartlets. I used a basic kitchen torch for this.
Sprinkle with lemon zest and enjoy immediately. It is best to make/pipe these the day before/day of.
*Note: Meringue usually can be left at room temperature for 6-8 hours. After that, it is best to refrigerate or else the meringue will begin to wilt and form a slight skin around itself. For best taste, texture, appearance, and consistency, it is best not to freeze meringue.
