This pie makes the most of citrus season with the use of delicious meyer lemons. With a light and tender pâte sucrée base, filled with perfectly balanced and bright meyer lemon curd, and topped with piles of Italian meringue toasted to perfection, this dessert is sure to become a favorite. Though it takes a few steps, it’s easier to make than it looks, and is well worth the extra time!
Duration:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: One 9 inch tart
INGREDIENTS
For the tart shell
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour , (160 g)
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, (one stick, 117g) cubed
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt , (non-iodized, diamond crystal preferred)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste , (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
For the Meyer lemon curd
- 3/4 cup meyer lemon juice, (180 g) about 2-3 lemons
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 large eggs, beaten well
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar, (150 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (one stick, 117 g) cold, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with a few tablespoons of water to create a slurry
For the Italian meringue
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar, (200 g)
- 1/2 cup water, (114 g)
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, or juice from 1/2 of a lemon
METHOD
Make the tart dough and blind bake
- 1)
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and butter together until combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can do this using a pastry cutter. Process until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- 2)
Add the egg and vanilla bean paste and pulse until combined and a dough begins to form. Don’t over-mix the dough to the point where it is completely formed into a ball- the dough is ready when it sticks together without crumbling when pressed between your fingers.
- 3)
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and flatten into a disk. Wrap fully and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
- 4)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
After the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into about an 11″ circle and then transfer it to a 9″ loose bottom tart tin by draping it over a rolling pin and placing the dough gently on top of the tart tin. Carefully press it into the tin and trim the excess. Freeze for 30 minutes- this will help prevent shrinking in the oven. - 5)
Remove the tart shell from the freezer and line it with parchment that has been crumpled and then flattened back out. This will make it easier to fit into the tin. Fill the parchment-lined tart shell all the way to the top with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.
- 6)
Bake the tart on the center rack for 20 minutes.
- 7)
Remove the parchment and pie weights, and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Meyer lemon curd
- 1)
Add the lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest, and beaten eggs to a medium sized heavy-bodied sauce pan or pot. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Make sure to whisk the edges of the pot thoroughly, as this is where the curd has a tendency to burn.
- 2)
Once the curd has thickened, add the cornstarch slurry, and whisk thoroughly to combine. Remove from heat.
- 3)
Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the lemon curd into a heat-proof container, such as a pyrex, to remove any bits of egg.
- 4)
Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, to the container with the hot lemon curd. Stir continuously until all the butter is incorporated. The heat from the curd will melt it into the mixture.
- 5)
Allow the lemon curd to cool to room temperature, before adding it to the fully baked tart shell. Use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Lemon curd can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Make the Italian Meringue
- 1)
In a medium pot fitted with a candy thermometer or instant-read meat thermometer, combine the sugar and water and mix until the sugar is evenly dispersed.
- 2)
Cook the sugar syrup over medium heat until the thermometer reads 240 degrees F, also known as the soft ball stage. Brush down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent any sugar from re-crystalizing.
- 3)
While the sugar syrup is heating, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar into soft peaks using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or electric mixer. Soft peaks are gentle ridges that form in the egg whites that stand for a few seconds before collapsing back on themselves. This usually takes about 2 minutes.
- 4)
Once the sugar syrup has reached 240 degrees F and the egg white mixture has reached soft peaks, carefully pour the sugar syrup into the egg white mixture while the mixer is running on low. Be careful when handling hot sugar, as it is very dangerous. Turn the mixer speed to medium and beat the meringue until it reaches stiff peaks, meaning when you lift up the whisk attachment, it leaves a nice, stiff peak that holds its shape and does not collapse.
Assemble the tart
- 1)
To the fully cooled tart shell, add the cool lemon curd, and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Top the lemon curd layer with the meringue, using a spoon to shape it as desired. With a kitchen torch, toast the meringue, as desired. Alternatively, toast the pie under the broiler in your oven, keeping a watchful eye that it doesn’t burn.
