A sweet crust pastry filled with a sweet yet tangy lemon curd topped with light and fluffy meringue.
WHAT YOU NEED:
For the Sweet Crust Pastry::(this is for a 23 cm pan)
225 grams plain flour
2tbs confectioner’s sugar
Grated zest of ½ lemon
125 grams of butter at room temp plus extra for greasing the tart pan
21/2 tablespoons cold water
For the lemon curd filling and meringue topping:
50g (1/3 cup) cornflour
125ml (1/2 cup) water
250ml (1 cup) fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tsp of lemon rind
430g (2 cups) caster sugar
60g butter, coarsely chopped
4 eggs, separated
WHAT YOU DO:
To make the sweet crust pastry:
1. In a large bowl sift the flour, salt and sugar.
2. Add the zest of one clean lemon.
3. Combine the egg yolk and water and add to bowl.
4. Break up the butter and rub into the flour mix and keep rubbing it in till it all comes together and knead till smooth.
5. Chill in fridge for 30 mins and turn your oven on to aprox 150 celcius.
6. Brush tart pan with butter and roll out the pastry to aprox 3mm thick and use the rolling pin to roll up the pastry and place on tart pan. Tuck in and cut off extras and blind bake (using a weight) for aprox 25 to 30 mins or until entire tart is lightly golden (dont cook it too golden as it does have to go back in the oven once filled)
7. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
To make the lemon curd filling:
1. In a small saucepan place half the sugar, the cornflour, lemon juice, lemon rind and water and heat till mixture boils and thickens whisking continously. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and the egg yolks one by one. Then cover and allow to cool completely.
To make the meringue part:
1. Whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy and then gradually add the remaining sugar and beat until the egg whites are thick and glossy.
To assemble the tart:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 celcuis. Take cooled pastry base and spread the lemon curd into it.
2. Take the beaten eggwhites (meringue) and spread over top and form peaks all over.
3. Place in oven for 5 mins till peaks are slightly golden.
Remove and serve hot or cold.
