Lemon Meringue

Tart Au Citron

The pastry:

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup softened butter, cut into cubes

1/3 cup icing or powdered sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla sugar (or dash of vanilla extract)

Place the butter, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and flour in a food processor. Add the egg to obtain a rough, sandy mixture. Gather the dough very quickly. The dough should not be overworked. Let rest in the fridge for 1 hour minimum. Blind bake the pie shell at 350˚F about 30 minutes.

Lemon Curd:

3 lemons

4 whole eggs

3/4 icing sugar

3 tablespoons soft butter

Zest 2 of the lemons, plus juice of 3 lemons to get about 1/2 cup of juice.

In a saucepan, whisk the eggs with the sugar then add the juice and zest of lemons. Mix well and cook, stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened. Once the cream reaches the consistency of mayonaise, remove from heat and add the diced butter. Stir vigorously. Immerse the pot in a cold water bath to cool the lemon curd. Pour the lemon curd over the cooled pie shell and smooth out. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

For the meringue:

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar (I like less sugar!)

Just before serving, beat the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Add half the sugar, whisk. Incorporate remaining sugar gradually while whisking, then drop it on the curd, making curls with back of a spoon. Broil in the oven or use a kitchen torch for a few seconds to brown the meringue.