8 April 2022

Lemon Meringue Pie

Here we are… the blog is finally online, I don’t even dare to tell for how long this project has been simmering in the back of my mind! But who cares, it’s here now and that’s the most important thing! So welcome to you all, I hope you will find some interesting things here. Things that can make you hungry and maybe inspire you to go to your kitchen and cook. That is the most important: to enjoy these delicious treats and savory dishes, to share them with your friends and families, and just be there, together!

And because she’s one the first food blogger in France. Because I have followed her since I was teenager… But more importantly because this pie is delicious (!!), I had to dedicate my first post to this recipe.
Here we are, I am doing it!
This is a lemon meringue pie you don’t want to miss! For its texture, its tangy taste, its sweetness brought by the white chocolate. It’s really easy to do and a guaranteed success.
The original recipe is here: Tarte au citron selon Pascale Weeks. I just added an Italian meringue on top of it, as we love meringue here…^^!
Enjoy 🙂

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

Sweet Pastry

250 g flour
125 g butter
125 g icing Sugar
1 egg
1 pinch of salt

Lemon Curd

125 g organic lemon juice (between 3 and 4 lemons)
1 organic lemon zest
40 g sugar
2 eggs
120 g white baking chocolate

Italian Meringue

2 eggs white
125 g sugar
5 cl water

Instructions

Sweet Pastry

At first, make the shortbread crust because it’ll need some rest before rolling and cooking. In the robot or in a bowl combine the butter, sugar and salt and beat with the paddle until the mix is smooth.
Add the egg and mix well.
Sieve the flour add it to the bowl. Don’t over beat the shortbread crust however it will be difficult to work with.
Put the dough in cling film and let it rest for 30 min at least (can be overnight if easier for you).
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and line the tart case or ring.
Line the tart with baking parchment and fill with ceramic baking beans or dried pulses.
Blind bake the tart in the oven preheated at 180°C for 15 minutes with the beans, then remove the beans and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
Transfer to a rack to cool completely while you make the curd.

Lemon Curd

First wash well the lemons, grate the zest of one lemon and press the juice of 2 of them.
Put the juice and zest in a pan, add sugar and eggs.
Cook on low heat until the curd become thick, stirring regularly. Stop the cooking of the lemon curd as soon as it just starts to bubble.
At the same time melt the white chocolate in a bain-marie.
Add the melted white chocolate to the lemon curd, in 3 times. Mix well between stages with a spatula. When the mix is smooth, you can use a hand blender to make it smoother.
Pour the curd in the tart case and line the surface.
Let it chill in the fridge for few hours before eating.

Italian Meringue

Put the sugar and water in a small pan and make it boil while you whisk the egg white until they form peaks.
When the syrup is at 118°C, pour over the egg white while the standing mixer is still on and leave it on for few more minutes.
Once the meringue is ready, put it on top of the lemon curd and "burn" it with a kitchen blowtorch. Or if you don't have a blowtorch, put the tart under the grill of your oven for few minutes, be careful it will burn very quickly and easily!