Lemon Meringue Tart Recipe
French lemon tart is a dessert that combines a crisp shortcrust base, intensely lemony cream, and a fluffy, lightly browned meringue. In France it often appears in patisseries alongside éclairs and macarons as an elegant dessert to go with coffee. The flavors are distinct: tart lemon, sweet meringue, and buttery pastry create a very addictive combination.
This tart combines three contrasting textures and flavors: crisp buttery pastry, silky, intensely lemony cream, and airy, lightly caramelized meringue. It looks impressive on the table but is based on simple, classic techniques you can easily master at home.
Chef's tips
Make sure the butter for the pastry is really cold – this keeps the base crumbly and tender. When cooking the lemon cream, stir constantly and keep the heat low so the eggs don’t scramble. For the meringue, the bowl and whisk must be perfectly clean and dry; even a trace of fat will prevent the whites from whipping properly.
How to serve
Serve the tart well chilled, cut into narrow wedges. You can decorate each slice with a thin lemon slice, a few curls of lemon zest, or a small mint leaf. It pairs beautifully with black tea, espresso, or a simple glass of cold water with citrus.
Ingredients
- wheat flour for the shortcrust pastry - 220 g
- butter cold, for the pastry - 120 g
- powdered sugar for the pastry - 60 g
- egg 3 for the cream, 2 yolks for the pastry, whites for the meringue - 5 piece
- egg yolk for the pastry, if you don’t want to separate whole eggs - 2 piece
- lemon preferably unwaxed, you need the juice and zest - 4 piece
- sugar for the cream and the meringue - 200 g
- 30% cream for the lemon cream - 100 ml
- potato starch for thickening the cream - 1 tablespoon
- salt for the meringue - 1 pinch
Preparation
- Put the flour and powdered sugar into a bowl, add the cold butter cut into cubes. Rub with your fingers until you get a sandy crumble.
- Add 2 egg yolks (or 1 whole egg and 1 yolk), quickly knead the dough, form a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and transfer it to a tart tin (about 26 cm). Press it into the base and sides, trim the excess, and prick the base with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Cover the base with baking paper, add baking weights (dried beans, rice) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper with the weights and bake for another 5–7 minutes, until the pastry is light golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Grate the zest of 2 lemons (only the yellow part), squeeze the juice from all the lemons – you should have about 120 ml of juice. Strain the juice through a sieve to remove the seeds.
- In a saucepan, mix the lemon juice and zest, 120 g sugar, 3 eggs, cream, and potato starch. Place the saucepan over low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of thick custard (this will take about 5–8 minutes). Do not let it come to a vigorous boil.
- Pour the hot lemon cream onto the pre‑baked tart shell, smooth the surface and set aside while you prepare the meringue.
- Pour the egg whites (from 3 eggs) into a clean, dry bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat with a mixer on medium speed until you get a thick foam. Then gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, add the remaining 80 g sugar, beating all the time until the foam is very thick, glossy, and does not move when you turn the bowl upside down.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Spoon the beaten meringue over the tart, shaping waves or small “clouds” with a spoon.
- Bake the tart for 12–15 minutes, until the top of the meringue is lightly golden. If you have a kitchen torch, you can additionally gently toast the top of the meringue after baking.
- Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing so the cream can set properly.
Storage
Przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej pod przykryciem, aby beza nie chłonęła zapachów. Najlepiej zjeść w ciągu 24 godzin, bo beza z czasem mięknie.
Lemon meringue tart is one of those desserts that always feels festive, even on an ordinary weekday. It’s worth taking your time with each layer – once you’ve made it a couple of times, the process becomes almost meditative, and the result never disappoints.
