Mini Lemon Meringue Tartlets

Step 1

Place the Flour, Icing Sugar and Salt in the bowl of your Food Processor and pulse to combine (see note 1 if making by hands). Add the cold Butter cut into small cubes, then blend until get very small crumbs.

Step 2

Add the Egg (optionaly prewhisked separately) and slowly pusle until a dough starts to come together (see note 2).

Step 3

Assemble the pastry into a large ball, place between two sheets of baking paper and roll into a large disk about 2 to 3mm (1/16 to 1/8 inch) thick. Place on a flat tray and leave in the fridge to chill and rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

Step 4

Using a Round Cookie Cutter, cut out small disks of pastry at least as wide as the openings of the mini muffin tin. Gently slide the pastry inside the mini muffin tin and press on the bottom/edges to remove any air bubbles. Dock the pastry (poke the bottom with a fork) then place back in the fridge to rest for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

Step 5

Preheat your oven on 160'C/325'F and place the pastries in the freezer in the meantime. Line each patry with a small piece of crunched up baking paper and fill with baking weights, dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the weights and baking paper and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until fully baked (see note 3). Set aside to cool down.

Step 6

Place the Egg Yolks, Sugar and Lemon Juice& Zest in a small pot. Whisk to combine then turn on low heat. Whisk for a few minutes or until the liquid starts to slightly thicken and the sugar has dissolved - about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 7

Slowly add the very Cold Butter cut into small cubes, a little bit at the time. Whisk until melted and combined before adding more.

Step 8

Cook on low heat for 5 to 15 minutes or until the curd has thickened, making sure to continuously whisk (see note 4). Taste and adjust the level of sweetness if required. Pour through a thin-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.

Step 9

Pour straight away inside the cooled down pastry shells (see note then place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours before serving.

Step 10

Place the Egg White and Salt in the clean bowl of your Mixer (or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Whisk on medium low to medium speed until you reach very soft peaks, slowly increasing the speed.

Step 11

When the egg white resembles the consistency of shaving cream, slowly add the Sugar a little bit at the time while whisking, then increase the speed to high and keep whisking until you reach stiff peaks (see note 6).

Step 12

Transfer the Meringue into a Piping Bag fitted with a small Star-Shaped Nozzle (or the piping nozzle shape of your choice) and pipe over each mini tart.

Step 13

With a kitchen blowtorch, toast each meringue until lightly golden and serve straight away (see note 7).