¾ cup Salted Butter (12 tablespoons), cut into cubes and semi-soft
FOR THE FILLING:
7 large Egg yolks
2 large Eggs
1 cup Sugar
⅔ cup Lemon juice (from about 4-5 medium lemons), strained
½ teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Butter, cut in to 4 pieces
3 T. Heavy cream or Coconut Cream
1 teaspoon Vanilla
FOR THE MERINGUE:
⅔ cup Egg Whites
1⅓ cups Sugar
½ cup Water
pinch of Cream of Tartar
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put the flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and process briefly, about 2 seconds. Add the butter pieces and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then process until the mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse meal, about three 1-second pulses. Sprinkle the mixture into a 9 inch round tart pan with removable bottom and press firmly with your fingers into an even layer over the entire pan bottom and up the sides.
Lay a sheet of parchment paper over the crust and fill it with beans.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take the tart out of the oven and remove the beans and parchment from the crust. Place the tart back in the oven and continue to bake the crust until the edges start to brown, another 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
FOR THE FILLING:
In a medium saucepan whisk together the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar until combined. Add the lemon juice and salt and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the butter pieces and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the curd thickens, about 6 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla and then pour the curd into the warm crust.
Bake until the filling is shiny and opaque and the center 3 inches jiggle slightly when shaken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. When cool, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill.
FOR THE MERINGUE:
When the lemon tart is chilled, make the meringue.
Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and beat with electric mixers until they develop soft peaks. Set aside.
Place the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover the pan with a lid. Let boil for 2 minutes, then remove the lid (this helps the steam to run down the sides and wash any potential sugar crystals back into the water).
Continue to boil for another minute - Drizzle a bit of the syrup into a cup of water. Touch the sugar to see if holds its shape. You may need to test this a few times. As soon as the sugar holds is shape but is still soft and pliable (soft ball stage), remove it from the heat.
Slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites while beating them at medium speed. Once the sugar is fully incorporated, up the speed to medium high and continue to beat the egg whites until very stiff peaks form.
Spoon the fluffy meringue over the top of the tart and swirl as you spread it over the top in a mound.
Toast the top of the meringue with a culinary blow torch, if desired.
Serve chilled in small slices.
Recipe by The Kitchen McCabe at https://www.thekitchenmccabe.com/2019/05/05/mile-high-meringue-lemon-tart/