Sweet short crust pastry tart shells filled with creamy lemon curd and topped with a simple torched meringue. These nostalgic tarts are the perfect citrus dessert.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED Sweet short crust pastry -plain flour -powdered icing sugar -salt -butter -eggs -ice-cold water Lemon curd: -eggs and egg yolks -lemon zest and lemon juice (fresh) -sugar -cream -butter Meringue -egg whites -caster sugar
1. Make the sweet shortcrust pastry. Sift into a bowl the flour, powdered icing sugar and salt. Add in the cubbed, cold butter and toss in the flour. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mix.
2. Add in the the sugar and mix through. Then add the water a little bit at a time, bringing the dough together as you go. Add a touch more water if it feels dry.
3. Tip out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together with your hands. Knead just a couple of times and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece out and place in the tart tin so that it overhangs the sides. Press into the side of the tin and trim the edges. Line with parchment paper and baking beans and bake at 180C (350F) for 10 minutes. Remove paper and baking beans and bake for a further 10-15 minutes until golden.
5. Make the lemon filling. In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water on the stove top, add the eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice and cream. Heat whilst continuously whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. (This can take 20 minutes)
6. Once thickened pass the curd through a seive, then add the butter and whisk until melted and smooth. Fill tart shells with curd and refrigerate until set.
7. Make the meringue. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks. One tablespoon at a time, whisk in the caster sugar until glossy and smooth and no grit can be felt when rubbed together.
8. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with your favourite nozzle. Pipe over lemon tarts and scorch meringue with a kitchen blow torch. Serve immediately