Lemon Meringue Tarts are one of my all time favourite desserts! "Tarte au citron" is a French term that translates to "lemon tart" in English. It refers to a classic French pastry consisting of a buttery tart shell filled with a smooth and tangy lemon-flavored custard or curd. This dessert earns its renown through a delicious combination of sweetness and tartness.
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What Are Lemon Meringue Tarts
Topping Lemon Tarts with meringue creates a variation known as "Tarte au Citron Meringuée" or "Lemon Meringue Tart." This popular adaptation adds a layer of light and fluffy meringue on top of the traditional lemon filling, creating a delightful contrast between the sweet meringue and the tart lemon custard. Just the way I like it!
Monogrammed Chocolate Disc Dessert Toppers are a fantastic way to add a posh little personalised touch to your Lemon Meringue Tarts!
Ingredients To Make Lemon Meringue Tarts
Tart Shells
You can use store bought for convenience for you can try my homemade Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Cases.
Lemon Curd Filling
Freshly squeezed lemon juice: This is the primary source of the tart and zesty lemon flavor in the filling. You should squeeze the juice freshly for the best taste.
Granulated sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to balance the tartness of the lemon juice and helps thicken the filling.
Salt: A small amount of salt enhances the overall flavor by balancing the sweetness and acidity of the lemon.
Unsalted butter, cubed: Butter adds richness and a creamy texture to the lemon curd. Cubing it helps it melt evenly into the mixture.
Large eggs and egg yolks: Eggs serve as the thickening agent in the curd. The combination of whole eggs and yolks provides structure and a smooth consistency.
Gelatine sheets or gelatine powder:
Use gelatine to help set the lemon curd and give it a firmer texture. Soften the sheets in cold water before use, and bloom gelatine powder in cold water to activate it. Gelatine is not necessary for lemon curd but I like to add it when using the curd for tarts.
Cold water: This is used to soften gelatine sheets before incorporating them into the lemon curd mixture.
Meringue Topping
Egg whites: Whip egg whites to create a light and airy meringue topping for the tart.
Granulated sugar: Sugar is added to the egg whites to sweeten the meringue and give it stability.
Vanilla extract (optional): You can add vanilla extract as an optional flavoring to the meringue for extra flavor. While not always included, it enhances the overall taste.
How To Make Lemon Meringue Tarts
Lemon Curd Filling
Soften Gelatine: If using leaf gelatine, soak it in cold water for about 5 minutes. For powdered gelatine, dissolve in boiling water and set aside.
Combine Ingredients: In a saucepan, mix sugar, lemon juice, and eggs. Add unsalted butter.
Cook: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves, and the butter melts.
Thicken the Mixture: Keep stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (about 5 minutes).
Add Gelatine: Remove from heat. Add squeezed leaf gelatine or dissolved powdered gelatine. Stir until fully dissolved.
Blend to Smoothness: Use a stick blender or hand whisk to make the mixture smooth and silky.
Cool and Fill Tart Shells: Let it cool for five minutes, then pour into tart shells. Level the top with an angled spatula.
Chill: Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
Optional Dusting: Tarts can be served at this point without the meringue topping if you like. Before serving, optionally dust with powdered sugar.
Meringue Topping
Combine Egg Whites and Sugar: In a heat-proof bowl, mix egg whites and caster sugar. Place over simmering water in a double boiler setup.
Dissolve Sugar: Stir until sugar dissolves completely (test by feeling between fingers for grittiness).
Whip to Peaks: Remove from heat, transfer to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Pipe onto Tarts: Make sure tarts are chilled. Pipe the meringue using a piping bag with a 1M tip in a decorative pattern.
Torch Meringue: Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue evenly.
Cool and Serve: Let the torched meringue cool before serving. Optionally add powdered sugar and monogrammed chocolate disc dessert toppers to the lemon meringue tarts. I have a detailed tutorial on how to make beautiful Stamped Chocolate Dessert Toppers that you may find helpful.
My Top Tip
My top tip for this recipe is all about patience, especially when you're making the lemon curd. Take your time and keep that heat medium-low. You might feel like cranking up the heat to speed things up, but trust me, slow and steady wins the race here. You don't want scrambled eggs in your curd!
Stir continuously and gently until it thickens just right. This way, you'll get that smooth, creamy texture that's just perfect for your tart. Patience really pays off with this one!
6 Serving Suggestions
Fresh Berries on the Side: Serve the lemon meringue tarts with a side of fresh strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries for a refreshing complement.
Citrus Zest Garnish: Sprinkle some lemon, lime, or orange zest over the tarts for an extra zing.
Dusted Powdered Sugar: A light dusting of powdered sugar over your lemon meringue tarts just before serving adds a touch of sweetness and elegance.
Coulis Drizzle: Drizzle raspberry sauce or strawberry coulis around the plate for a gourmet presentation.
Common Questions
Yes, you can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but fresh lemon juice gives the best flavor. Bottled juice might have a slightly more acidic taste, so adjust the sugar if needed.
Lumps in lemon curd usually happen if the eggs begin to cook too quickly. To prevent this, cook the curd over medium-low heat and keep stirring constantly. If lumps do form, you can strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove them.
The meringue is done when it's glossy and has stiff peaks. If you lift the whisk or beaters, the peak should hold its shape and not droop. For a more toasted flavor, use a kitchen torch until it's golden brown.
Yes, you can prepare the tart shells and lemon curd ahead of time. Fill and chill the tarts as directed, but add the meringue topping close to serving time for the best texture.
For a more intense lemon flavor, add the zest of 1-2 lemons to the curd mixture. Just make sure to strain the curd if you don't want the zest in the final texture.
Lemon Meringue Tarts
INGREDIENTS
Tart Shells
- 8 (8) tart shells homemade or store bought
Lemon Curd Filling
- ½ cup (0.5 cup) lemon juice
- ½ cup (0.5 cup) sugar
- 3 (3) eggs large
- 120 g (4.23 oz) butter unsalted
- 4 g (0.14 oz) leaf gelatine
Meringue Topping
- 3 (3) egg whites large
- 180 g (6.35 oz) white sugar superfine sugar
Optional Topping
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) powdered sugar
- 8 monogrammed chocolate discs link in notes
INSTRUCTIONS
Lemon Curd Filling
- If using leaf gelatine, place the sheets in a bowl of cold water and allow them to soften for about 5 minutes. If using powdered gelatine, dissolve 1 tablespoon powdered gelatine in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and set it aside.
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, lemon juice and eggs. Add the unsalted butter to the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir the mixture continuously using a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts.
- Continue to stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a hand whisk until it thickens. This should take about 5 minutes. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- If using leaf gelatine, squeeze out any excess water and add the softened sheets to the lemon curd mixture. Stir until the gelatine is fully dissolved. If using powdered gelatine, add the dissolved gelatine to the lemon curd mixture and mix well.
- Use a stick blender or hand whisk to blend the mixture until it becomes smooth and silky.
- Allow the lemon curd mixture to cool for five minutes before filling the tart shells.
- Pour the lemon curd into your prepared tart shell levelling the top of the curd with an angled spatula.
- Cool to room temperature then refrigerate the tarts for at least 2-3 hours, or until the filling is fully set.
Meringue Topping
- In a heat-proof bowl, combine the egg whites and caster sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. The simmering water should not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Stir the egg whites and sugar mixture constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. You can test this by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your fingers; it should feel smooth, not gritty.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer the mixture to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- Whip the egg whites and sugar mixture on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. This may take several minutes. The meringue should be smooth, and when you lift the whisk, the peaks should hold their shape.
- Ensure that your tarts are chilled before piping the meringue on top with a 1M tip. This helps the meringue hold its shape.
- Transfer the whipped meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip. Pipe the meringue onto the chilled tarts in a decorative pattern.
- Using a kitchen torch, carefully torch the piped meringue until it achieves a golden brown color. Hold the torch at a slight angle and move it evenly over the surface of the meringue.
- Allow the torched meringue to cool for a few minutes before serving. This Lemon Meringue Topping adds a delightful, sweet finish to your tarts.
- I like to add a light dusting of powdered sugar and Monogrammed Chocolate Disc Dessert Toppers before serving.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Helene says
I really enjoyed making these. Recipe was easy to follow.
They taste amazing!
Fay says
That's fabulous Helene!