Zesty Lemon Bites (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Crust
01 -
2 tablespoons cold water
02 -
1 large egg yolk
03 -
100 grams unsalted butter, chilled and diced
04 -
50 grams icing sugar
05 -
200 grams plain flour
→ Lemon Filling
06 -
100 grams butter, cut into small pieces
07 -
1 tablespoon zest from a lemon
08 -
120 milliliters lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
09 -
150 grams white sugar
10 -
4 egg yolks, large
→ Lilac Meringue
11 -
Lilac-colored food dye, optional
12 -
1/4 teaspoon tartar powder
13 -
100 grams white sugar
14 -
2 egg whites, large
# Instructions:
01 -
Combine the flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Blend in the chilled butter until it looks crumbly. Add the egg yolk and water, mix to create dough, then wrap it up and stick it in the fridge for half an hour.
02 -
Set your oven to 180°C and warm it up. Roll out the dough, cut it into rounds, and pop it into mini tart pans. Poke the bottoms with a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes until they’re golden. Leave them to cool.
03 -
Take a heatproof bowl and whisk the sugar, yolks, lemon juice, and zest together. Put the bowl over a bubbling pot of hot water and stir until it starts thickening. Take it off the heat and mix in the butter until silky smooth. Chill it before filling the tarts.
04 -
Beat the egg whites with the tartar powder until they form soft peaks. Slowly add in the sugar while whipping, until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy. Add the lilac color, if you’re using any.
05 -
Spoon the lemon curd into the cooled tart cases. Use a piping bag to cover them with the lilac meringue.
06 -
Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue spots golden, or stick them under your oven broiler for a few seconds. Sprinkle on decorations and serve.
# Notes:
01 -
Chilling the dough keeps it from shrinking while it bakes.
02 -
Make the lemon curd the day before to save yourself some time.
03 -
Add edible flowers to make the tarts look fancy.