Lemon Meringue Tart

Everybody loves a lemon meringue tart. The crisp shell filled with delightfully sour lemon curd and topped with voluptuous torched meringue is hard to beat. Our lemon meringue tart recipe is a simple way to prepare the iconic dessert. Packed with fresh lemon flavour, you’ll be coming back for more.

How to make a Lemon Meringue Tart

Prep Time:  1 hour        |        Cook Time:  45 minutes        |        Serves:  6

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry:

• 150g White Mill plain flour
• 130g Pure Valley salted butter, cold and diced  
• 60ml ice-cold water

Lemon curd filling:

• 6 Lodge Farms free range egg yolks  
• 1 tsp powdered gelatin
• 1 lemon, zested 120ml lemon juice
• 150g White Mill caster sugar
• 112g Pure Valley butter, cold and diced

Meringue:

• 6 Lodge Farms free range egg whites  
• 250g White Mill caster sugar
• 1 tsp White Mill vanilla extract

Method

1. To make the pastry, place the flour and butter in a food processor. Pulse until you have a sandy texture then add the cold water in batches until it forms a soft dough. Turn out and wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until firm.
2. Roll out the pastry on a clean and lightly floured surface. Lay it loosely into a 35cm x 12cm rectangular, fluted tart tin with a removable base. Fold the excess pastry into itself to form a thicker crust, then cut off any excess overhanging dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 165°C fan-forced. Blind bake the pastry for 30 minutes, then remove the baking beads and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
4. In 2 bowls, separate the eggs, reserving the whites for the meringue.
5. Mix the gelatin with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and let it stand for 1 minute.  
6. When bloomed, microwave for 10 seconds or until the gelatin has dissolved.
7. In a small saucepan, heat the lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the heated liquid into the egg yolks, whisking continuously. Return the tempered egg yolks back into the saucepan and onto low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture reaches 81-82°C.
8. Remove from heat, add the dissolved gelatin then add cubed butter in batches and whisk until well incorporated. Pour the warm curd into the pre-prepared pie crust and let it set in the refrigerator for an hour.
9. To make the meringue, in a clean metal bowl combine the egg whites, sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring a small saucepan with water to the boil. Set the bowl of egg whites over the pot of boiling water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are warm (temperature should be 54-55°C).
10. Transfer to a stand mixer or use a hand-held mixer. Add the vanilla and whisk until stiff peaks form.
11. Add meringue to the cooled lemon tart, smooth out with a spatula. Torch the meringue using a blowtorch.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lemon Meringue Tart

How do you make lemon meringue?

Lemon meringue consists of 3 main elements: the tart shell, the lemon curd and the pillowy meringue. First you need to make and blind bake the pastry, then fill it with the delicious lemon curd and finally top with the whipped egg white meringue. And for the ultimate finish, char the meringue with a blowtorch.

How do you make lemon curd?

Lemon curd makes up the deliciously sour lemony filling in the tart. It is quite simple to make and involves whisking together lemon juice, sugar and egg yolks over a heat until it thickens. Then you need to add butter and gelatin and put it in the fridge to thicken up.

How to make meringue?

Meringue makes up the top and most beautiful layer of the lemon meringue tart. Meringue is simpler than it looks to make and involves whisking egg whites until they are stiff. Once you add sugar, it turns into the marshmallowy goodness you know and love.

Can you freeze lemon meringue?

Although you can freeze lemon meringue pie, we would advise against it. This is because as you thaw it from the freezer to eat, the texture of the meringue on top will become severely compromised. It can lose its volume and become rubbery.