A delicious Easter dessert: Lemon Meringue Tart

I love this tart, it might seem daunting but I’ve broken it down into three parts so open a bottle rosé and have fun with it. You’ll be really happy with the results I promise! I’ve made the pastry but feel free to buy it, there are some amazing ready-to-use products out there, you’re looking for shortcrust and don’t worry if it’s not sweet the rest of this is sweet enough.

Ben James, Domaine Mirabeau Chef

You can make this well ahead of time, even browning the meringue in advance so you don’t have to worry about dessert at all after your Easter lunch leaving you more time at the table and less in the kitchen. I recommend Mirabeau Étoile with this dessert, it’s elegant and sophisticated with stone fruit notes that balance perfectly with the citrus in the tart. If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch on Instagram!

What you’ll need:

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Spatula
  • Rolling pin
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Probe thermometer
  • Stand mixer
  • Blow torch or grill

Pastry (if you’re making it)

  • 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • pinch salt
  • 125g butter in cubes
  • 20g caster sugar
  • 2 free-range egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp cold water

Filling

  • 65g cornflour
  • 325g caster sugar
  • 150ml lemon juice
  • 300ml water
  • Zest of one lemon (unwaxed ideally)
  • 80g cold butter in cubes
  • 80g free-range egg yolks (about 4 large yolks )

Meringue

  • 200g caster sugar
  • 50ml water
  • 100g egg white (3 large whites)

Prepare the pastry

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and mix before adding butter. Using your fingertips rub the flour with the butter until you get fine breadcrumbs, then mix in the sugar.
  2. Add the egg yolks and water and use a spatula to incorporate.
  3. Once the mixture starts to come together turn it out onto a clean surface and knead for 30 seconds max. You should have a nice smooth ball. Flatten it slightly, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough to the thickness of a pound coin. Using your rolling pin to pick the dough up, unroll the dough over the tart case and lift it into position, pushing the edges in as you go.
  5. Use your rolling pin to cut the edges and return to the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This will help to prevent shrinkage in the oven.
  6. Preheat your oven to 160°C, remove from the fridge and spike the base with a fork, line the case with baking paper and weigh it down with baking beans or similar. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove the baking beans, return to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until the base is golden brown. Remove and cool in tart case.

Prepare the filling

  1. Mix the cornflour, sugar, lemon juice and water in a pan and cook on a medium heat stirring occasionally until thickened, it will look like a thick dull white paste.
  2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs, once combined and you have a lovely deep yellow colour add the butter and lemon zest and stir until incorporated.
  3. By now your tart case should have chilled sufficiently. Pour the filling in and set aside to cool completely, once cool you can refrigerate until required up to 2 days.

Prepare the meringue

  1. Mix the sugar and water in a pan over a high heat with a probe thermometer in so you can see when to take it out. It needs to be 121°C.
  2. Once it reaches about 110°C start whisking the meringue in the mixer and one it reaches stiff peaks you can add the sugar mixture to it. Be careful not to pour the hot sugar straight only the whisk as it will fly out and burn you!
  3. Once you’ve added all the sugar mix leave it to run until it’s cool.
  4. Now you are ready to finish your tart. Lump on the Meringue and make some pretty patterns then brown with a blowtorch. If you don’t have one you can use a preheated grill but watch it closely!!

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