Step 1

In a bowl, add the water and some ice cubes and set aside. Using a food processor, add the flour and salt to the bowl. Cut your cold butter into 1 inch pieces and add to the flour so they are evenly distributed around the bowl.

Step 2

Pulse the mixture until the butter reaches pea-sized pieces and looks crumbly. Add in the ⅔ cup ice cold water, and pulse again until the dough starts to form a ball (you want to still see butter chunks).

Step 3

Remove the dough and flatten into a one-inch disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to fully hydrate. Only one disc is needed, the other can be frozen after the chilling period. While the dough is resting, make the lemon curd.

Step 4

After two hours, lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface, then roll out the dough until it’s about ¼ inch thick. Continue to lightly flour your surface if the dough begins to stick.

Step 5

Using a cookie cutter, drinking glass, or knife, cut 12 rounds slightly larger than your tartlet pans or muffin tin openings. Press the dough into the sides and edges of the pan. Re-roll the scraps to get all 12 rounds.

Step 6

Place the prepared dough into the freezer for 15 minutes. This will help prevent the pie crust from shrinking.

Step 7

Preheat the oven to 375℉. Remove the crust from the freezer, and dock the bottoms a couple of times with a fork. Place a small sheet of parchment paper over each crust and fill completely with pie weights. Bake the crust for 25 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment paper and bake for another 5 minutes. The crust should be lightly golden brown and should slide out of the tins easily.

Step 8

Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack in the pans.

Step 9

In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and starts to bubble. This usually happnens with in five minutes. This is different on every stove top - you will see a noticeable difference in the viscosity.

Step 10

Once thickened, remove from the heat and pass the curd through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Whisk in one tablespoon of butter at a time, not adding another piece until the first is totally incorporated.

Step 11

Cover with plastic wrap, putting the wrap directly onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming, and chill for one to two hours in the fridge.

Step 12

Fill a saucepan with about 1 inch of water and turn to high heat. Add a heat proof bowl over top that fits securely. You don’t want any of the water touching the bottom of the bowl.

Step 13

To the bowl, add the egg whites, sugar, and salt and whisk to combine. Continue lightly whisking until the mixture is warm and the sugar granules have dissolved. Check this by rubbing your fingers together in the mixture. If you can still feel sugar granules, continue cooking. If you have a thermometer, cook it to around 160℉.

Step 14

One the mixture is ready, add it to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a handhelp mixer) and whip on medium speed for about a minute. Turn to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form.

Step 15

Once the meringue hits stiff peaks, add the vanilla then mix once more to combine. The meringue is ready when the bowl can be turned upside down without any movement or sliding.

Step 16

To assemble, pipe or spoon the curd into each tartlet shell until it’s almost full. Then, pipe or dollop the meringue on top of the curd. Brown the meringue with a blow torch, or carefully broil on high in the oven until the desired color is reached.