Learn how to craft these miniature masterpieces, featuring a tangy lemon cream nestled in a buttery crust and crowned with Swiss meringue peaks.
Ingredients and Method
Ingredients
For the tart base:
120g unsalted butter
70g icing sugar
50g almond meal
40g whole eggs
2g salt
200g plain flour
For the lemon cream
100g lemon juice
100g whole eggs
100g caster sugar
23g custard powder
90g butter
2g lemon zest
For the Swiss meringue
120g egg whites (3 large egg whites)
200g granulated sugar
Method
Begin by creating the tart base. In a mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and icing sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add the almond meal, whole eggs, salt, and plain flour. Blend everything together until it just comes together as a dough, handling it gently.
Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
After its rest, roll out the dough to a thin, 3mm thickness.
Carefully line your pie tart case with the rolled-out dough.
Pop it into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough and make it easier to work with.
To ensure your tart base bakes perfectly, place a cupcake case inside it and fill it with uncooked rice. This technique prevents the dough from puffing up while baking.
Preheat your oven to 170°C (338°F). Bake the tart base for just 4 minutes. Then, remove the rice-filled cupcake case and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Before filling the tart, coat the inside with a layer of chocolate. This layer prevents sogginess from the cream filling.
For the lemon cream, in a double boiler combine lemon juice, whole eggs, caster sugar, custard powder, butter, and lemon zest.
Stir until it transforms into a shiny, thickened cream.
Allow the lemon cream to chill. Before using it, give it a gentle whisk to loosen it up a bit.
In a heatproof bowl over a bain-marie, combine the granulated sugar and egg whites. Stir until all the sugar dissolves into the egg whites.
Once the sugar has completely dissolved, transfer the mixture to a stand mixer. Whisk at high speed until you achieve stiff peaks.
To assemble, start by adding the lemon cream into the prepared tart case, spreading it evenly. Next, top the lemon cream with the beautifully whipped Swiss meringue. Then, use a blow torch to gently add a golden colour to the meringue.
