Perfectly Sweet Lemon Meringue Tartlets

These Perfectly Sweet Lemon Meringue Tartlets are just the right bite when you want just a little something sweet, and a little something sour.

Lemon desserts, especially in the summertime, are my favorite. I just love a good pucker. If you do too, then you simply must make these little Perfectly Sweet Lemon Meringue Tartlets.

Rich, tart, sweet and sour, lemon curd (sure, you can use store-bought lemon curd if you wish) is spooned into mini fillo pastry shells (found in your grocer’s freezer). Then top the tarts with a light and airy dollop of meringue. Next, ever so lightly toast the meringue by using a chef’s culinary torch (splurge on one of the these if you can…they’re so worth it) for a little extra color, flavor, and of course, crunch.

The recipe I’m sharing with you today uses homemade lemon curd (but as I stated earlier, store bought will also work) which is a combination of eggs, sugar, freshly squeezed lemon juice and butter. It’s very simple to make as long as you use a double boiler and heat the mixture slowly on the stovetop.

A special double boiler pan is not needed to make these Perfectly Sweet Lemon Meringue Tartlets. All you need are two pans (one that is slightly larger than the other) and approximately 1″ of water in the larger pan. When the water boils you want to make sure that it doesn’t come in contact with the bottom of the smaller pan. Thereby making the contents of smaller pan heat slowly from the steam that the boiling water provides. Cooking and thickening the lemon curd slowly is the proper way to make sure it doesn’t curdle over too high of heat. Once the lemon curd thickens, it needs to chill for at least 1 hour, and then you’re ready to assemble these little beauties.

LEMON MERINGUE TARTLETS   {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Yield:  30 tartlets               Prep Time: 90 minutes (lemon curd chill time included)

2 packages mini fillo shells (15 each package)
1 small kitchen culinary torch

To make the lemon curd:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
small pinch salt

-Place about an inch of water in a saucepan. Place a smaller saucepan over top of the larger one.

-Over medium heat, whisk the eggs and the sugar together.

-Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest and butter.

-Cook and whisk for approximately 20-25 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

-Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

-Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl and refrigerate at least one hour (the curd with thicken even more as it chills)

To make the meringue:
2 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup granulated sugar

-In a large clean bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Whip in the cream of tartar and the sugar and beat until the mixture form soft peaks.

To assemble the tarts:
-Fill each fillo shell with approximately 2 teaspoons of chilled lemon curd.

-Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons of meringue over the lemon curd.

-Carefully use the chef’s torch to lightly brown the meringue on top of each tart.

-Keep the tarts at room temperature and serve when ready. *Note – Refrigeration of the preapared tarts will make the meringue weep and get soggy.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe and that I’ve made it easy for you to understand how to make them yourself. I wish I could just hand you one (or two) through the screen to sample because I know you’re going to love them as much as I do. If you have any questions about this recipe, please leave me a comment  below, and I’ll be happy to answer it for you ASAP.

Since today’s recipe is all about the yellow, it only seems fitting that I share these bright yellow monarch wine glasses. I think they make the perfect accompanyment to these bright yellow lemon tarts. They make me happy and I hope they make you happy too!

If there is ever anything I can paint for you, from aprons, to tea towels, to glassware, please don’t hesitate to contact me or visit my shop on etsy. Custom orders are always welcomed, and always encouraged.

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!