Lemon Meringue Tart

Lemon Meringue Tart

Lemon Meringue Tart

When was the last time you went to a diner and had a slice of classic lemon meringue pie? The sugary lemon filling topped with mile-high meringue is a somewhat satisfying end to that all-American diner meal, usually consisting of french fries and something sandwiched. Often mediocre and overwhelmingly sweet, lemon meringue pie can easily be improved upon through a homemade version…or in this case, a French-American hybrid.

So many great dishes and techniques have come from French cooking and baking. This became obvious to me in culinary school, where I was taught the basics of cooking and pastry through the use of many French terms, such as blanchir and nappe. One of the desserts I learned and had to repeat until near perfection, was Tarte au Citron. This simple French lemon tart required basic but essential pastry techniques and of course, the results were tasty. The lemon filling is what really made me a fan: it was tart. I know what you’re thinking, so what? Shouldn’t a lemon filling always be tart?! Yes, it should but it usually isn’t. Lemon fillings are more often than not, sugary sweet with a hint of lemon instead of boldly tart, borderline sour, with just the right balance of sweetness.

This recipe utilizes a version of this tart lemon filling from that classic Tarte au Citron recipe but is also combined with my grandmother’s amazing tart pastry dough and topped with fluffy sweet meringue. It utilizes the best of the best and though my photos may not do it justice (yes, I let the meringue brown a touch too long and the slices aren’t picture perfect smooth and pointed…these things happen!), this is one tasty tart. The hard boiled egg yolks in my grandmother’s recipe for the tart pastry dough, provide a richness that pairs well with the flavorful tart lemon filling. Billowy meringue adds that sugary light sweetness and fluffy texture that balances each mouthful of luscious lemony cream and buttery crust. After tasting this heavenly tart, you may never be able to eat that one-note diner lemon meringue pie ever again.

Lemon Meringue Tart

Yum

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *