I made these delicious delights for Mother's Day because my mom loooves lemon tarts. They were absolutely delicious. They were also absolutely difficult. I ended up having to ruin the surprise because I needed help from the professional... mommy!
I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart's Lime Meringue Tarts. All I really did differently was substitute lemon for lime for filling the shells to please my mother. I also doubled the recipe because I decided to spread my love and appreciation to many other mothers. I don't reccommend it. I think it would be easier and they would turn out better if you stick to the single recipe.
I made the lemon curd first to give time for it to cool while preparing the meringue. Making the meringue allowed for more than enough chill time. Chill time for the lemon curd that is, the work was definitely far from "chill".
lemon curd:
-4 large egg yolks
-2 whole eggs
-1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
-3/4 sugar
-4 tbsp unsalted butter
Separate 4 yolks from whites. Save the whites, you'll need them for the meringue. Whisk 4 large yolks and 2 whole eggs together in a bowl. In a small saucepan combine egg mixture, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly for 8-10 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. Cool slightly. Strain into a small bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Add butter a piece by piece, stirring to let it melt. Stir in zest. Cover and refridgerate until completely cooled. Now prepare for the hard part!
*the curd was very sweet, if you'd like more tartness don't be afraid to decrease the amount of sugar because 3/4 cup is more than enough, although I'm not sure what this would do to the consistency.
swiss meringue shells:
-4 large egg whites
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
-pinch of cream of tartar
Fill a medium sized saucepan a fourth full with water. Bring to a simmer. In a heat proof bowl of an electric mixer combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Place over (not in) the simmering water. Whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes until warm and sugar is dissolved. Beat mixture with an electric mixer. Start on low speed. Gradually increase to high speed. Beat for about 10 minutes until high, stiff, glossy peaks form. Add vanilla. Mix until just combined. Use immediately.
*when it says use immediately, do it. I think we waited too long to use it/took too long using it that the consistency changed and it was harder to use. When trying to pipe the meringue, it wouldn't hold its shape.
creating the shells:
Preheat oven to 200°F. Trace 2-inch circles on parchment paper. Line baking sheet with the parchment paper with the pencil face-down. Pipe meringue by spiralling outward from the centre of the circle, making sure to cover the whole bottom of the circle. Create walls on the circle and decorate with petals to the best of your ability (it's very difficult to make them look like Martha's). Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 150°F. Bake for about 40-60 minutes until crisp, dry and still white. Let cool completely. Pipe or spoon lemon curd into shells and serve immediately. Enjoy!
*my shells turned out a little chewy and some of them cracked in the oven. I think this was because of the double recipe and waiting too long with the meringue. BUT they were still delicious! I also left the unused ones out for longer and they dried out perfectly. Again they were very sweet so omit as much sugar to suit your taste.
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