Individual Lemon Meringue Tarts (FN.ca)

By hmp13

Ingredients

• Pastry
• 1 1/2 pounds short crust pastry (750 g)
• Filling
• 2 cups lemon juice (500 mL)
• 6 eggs
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (375 mL)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 mL)
• Meringue
• 4 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 mL)
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (2 mL)
• 1 cup sugar (250 mL)

Preparation

Step 1

Pastry

1. Roll the pastry to ¼-inch (3 mm) thickness and cut into 6 (6-inch/15 cm) rounds.
2. Place the pastry in 6 (4-inch/10 cm) tart molds.
3. With a knife trim the excess pastry away.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Line each tart shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill to the rim with pie weights.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
8. Remove the pie weights and parchment from the tart shells and bake for 10 minutes.

Filling

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla extract.
2. Pour the lemon mixture into a pot.
3. Place over heat and stir with a spatula for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken.
4. Pour the lemon mixture onto a baking sheet and cool completely.
5. Spoon the cooled lemon mixture into the baked tart shells.

Meringue

1. Beat the egg whites with the vanilla extract and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
2. Continue beating while adding the sugar, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) at a time. The finished meringue should have stiff glossy peaks.
3. Mound the meringue on top of the tart.
4. Make sure there is a good seal between the meringue and the edge of the crust.
5. Bake the tarts at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meringue is golden.
6. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the molds.