Lemon meringue pie tart
Go big or go home with this incredible, towering lemon meringue pie. It's sure to wow guests at the table.
Ingredients
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 20 g ground almonds (almond meal)
- 50 g icing (confectioners’) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 150 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 3.2 oz unsalted butter
- 0.7 oz ground almonds (almond meal)
- 1.8 oz icing (confectioners’) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5.3 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 3.2 oz unsalted butter
- 0.7 oz ground almonds (almond meal)
- 1.8 oz icing (confectioners’) sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5.3 oz plain (all-purpose) flour
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 leaf (sheet) gelatine
- 3 unwaxed lemons
- 3 eggs
- 70 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 140 g unsalted butter
- 1 leaf (sheet) gelatine
- 3 unwaxed lemons
- 3 eggs
- 2.5 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 4.9 oz unsalted butter
- 1 leaf (sheet) gelatine
- 3 unwaxed lemons
- 3 eggs
- 2.5 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 4.9 oz unsalted butter
- 230 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 4 egg whites
- 8.1 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 4 egg whites
- 8.1 oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 4 egg whites
Details
- Cuisine: Italian
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 25 mins
- Cooking Time: 30 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- First make the pastry. In a bowl, soften the butter with a spatula. In a mixer with a paddle (flat beater) attachment, beat the softened butter, ground almonds (almond meal) and icing (confectioners’) sugar until smooth.
- Then add the eggs, one at a time, while beating. Incorporate the flour and salt. Mix the pastry dough until crumbly.
- Form the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap) and rest overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make the lemon custard. Soften the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Zest two of the lemons and squeeze all three. In a bowl, beat the eggs with a fork.
- Combine the lemon juice, sugar and butter in a pan and bring to the boil. Gradually add the eggs, incorporating with a whisk. Cook over a low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl. Squeeze the gelatine and incorporate. Add the lemon zest. Use an immersion blender to mix well. Put into an airtight container and rest overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Roll out the pastry dough into a 6-mm/1/4-inch-thick disc. Grease a tart pan with butter and line with the pastry. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Make the Italian meringue. Dissolve the sugar into 2 tablespoons of water and the lemon juice in a pan over a low heat.
- Bring to the boil and cook until the mixture reads 120°C/250°F on a cooking thermometer. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, put a little of the syrup in a spoon and let one drop fall into a glass of cold water. If it forms a small, soft ball, the syrup is ready.
- In a grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Pour the syrup in a thin stream into the meringue while whisking until the mixture cools.
- Fill the pastry case (shell) with the lemon custard. Use a plastic spatula to cover the tart with meringue, creating a dome in the centre. Caramelise with a chef's blowtorch.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
This recipe is extracted from Big Mamma Cucina Popolare, by Big Mamma. Published by Phaidon, £27.95.
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