Lemon Meringue Tart

I have a weakness for a lemon tart — I can't resist it. There's something in the sharp lemon flavor combined with the crusty sweet tart dough that makes me want to take another bite. Winter is perfect for a lemon tart. Citrus fruits are at the peak of their flavor, it's a great French winter tart, and it's almost a tradition in our house to make it this season.

Making the Lemon Tart crust

I make the crust a day in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight, so by the time I'm making the lemon curd I only need to bake the crust, add the lemon filling, and we're all set. Making the tart crust, pâte sucrée, is easy — I've discussed this at length in one of my earlier posts. When making the crust, it's important to keep the sweet tart dough basics in mind:

• Don't overwork the dough — we need it crumbly and crunchy.
• Let the dough rest in the fridge before flattening it, and give it one more rest after it's in the tart pan.
• Use blind baking with weight laid on the tart dough to keep its shape.

Making the Lemon Curd

I want a silky smooth lemony paste that holds its shape and doesn't break or ooze out of the tart. The eggs and egg yolks are cooked with the water to create a stable custard, which you'll then mix with butter for extra smoothness — and that butter is what gives the lemon curd its stability once refrigerated. Don't let the curd break while it's on the heat, and pull it off once it starts to thicken. The custard should leave a ribbon when you lift the whisk. Immediately add the butter as soon as the lemon curd is off the heat.

Making the Meringue

The meringue consists of egg whites (the ones left over from the yolks used for the lemon curd), cornstarch, and sugar. Whisk it in a stand mixer until it reaches stiff peaks, then use a piping bag to decorate the lemon tart. To cook the meringue, you can either use an oven set to the upper grilling option for a few minutes — watch it closely, it burns very fast — or go at it with a blowtorch.