Embark on a delightful culinary journey with this exquisite Lemon Tart, featuring a crispy shortcrust pastry base filled with smooth lemon cream and topped with a light almond cream layer. Finished with a beautifully torched meringue, this dessert not only pleases the palate but also captivates the eyes, making it a perfect choice for special occasions and gourmet gatherings.
Why You’ll Love This Tart: The combination of zesty lemon and sweet almond offers a perfect balance of flavors, while the meringue topping adds a sophisticated touch. This tart is ideal for those who appreciate desserts that aren’t overly sweet, as the natural tartness of the lemon provides a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the meringue and almond cream.
Perfect Occasion: This Lemon Tart is a fantastic choice for celebratory events such as birthdays, anniversaries, or any festive gathering. It’s also a showstopper dessert for holiday meals or as an elegant finish to a dinner party.
Ingredients:
For the Shortcrust Pastry:
- 150g all-purpose flour
- 100g cold butter, cubed
- 50g powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
For the Almond Cream:
- 100g almond flour
- 80g powdered sugar
- 20g cornstarch
- 100g soft butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste
- Zest of 1 lime
- A pinch of salt
For the Lemon Cream:
- 3g gelatin, mixed with a little water
- 140g lemon juice
- 3 large eggs
- 180g white sugar
- 220g cold butter, cubed
For the Meringue:
- 100g egg whites
- 160g white sugar
Preparation Steps:
- Prepare the Shortcrust Pastry:
- In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, and cold butter to get a crumbly mixture. Add the egg yolk and mix until a dough forms. If needed, add a teaspoon of water.
- Wrap and chill the dough for about an hour. Roll out the dough thinly and carefully transfer it to a greased 24 cm tart ring, pressing into the edges and trimming excess. Freeze for at least an hour.
- Bake the Pastry:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F). Bake the chilled pastry for 20 minutes until golden. If the bottom puffs up during baking, gently prick it with a fork.
- Prepare the Almond Cream:
- Mix all almond cream ingredients until smooth. Spread over the pre-baked tart base and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 12 minutes.
- Prepare the Lemon Cream:
- Mix the gelatin with water and set aside. In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, sugar, and eggs. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat, add cold butter and gelatin mixture. Blend with an immersion blender to achieve a smooth cream.
- Pour the lemon cream into the tart shell and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the Meringue and Finish the Tart:
- Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over a water bath, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Whip with a mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and pipe onto the chilled tart. Gently torch the meringue with a kitchen torch to caramelize.
Enjoy this stunning Lemon Tart, a blend of tangy, sweet, and creamy textures that come together to create a truly memorable dessert experience.
