Arjays Pies | Lemon Meringue Tartlets

I have had a bit more time during the quarantine then I usually have in the hustle and bustle of my day to day life so I try my best to capitalize on the time by busting our a few more little bonus pies. I didn't feel much like going shopping, (especially since I've been experiencing some surprise vacation time and therefore haven't been pulling a paycheck), so it was nice to make a pie from some left overs in my Icebox. I had some Lemon Curd left over from my Citrus Claro Pie and the Pate Brisee was left over from my last pie, my Apple Nogada Icebox Pie. The only thing I didn't have premade was the meringue for obvious reasons. So with out further adieu here is how to make some lovely tartlets. Perfect for a light breakfast or for tea.

Also for my Citrus Claro I used a recipe by Ina Garten. A link to this is provided.

Ingredients

Pate Brisee

• 1 1/4 Sticks Unsalted Butter
• 1 Cup Shortening
• 3 Oz Whole Milk, Room Temp
• 1 Large Egg Yolk
• 1 T Sugar
• 1 t Salt
• Pinch Cinnamon
• 4 C 1 T of All Purpose Flour

Lemon Curd

• 1 C Lemon Curd
• Link

Meringue

• 3 Egg whites
• 1/4 C White Sugar
• 1/4 t Cream of Tarter

Procedure

Step 1: The Dough

These tartlets are great to make with any leftover Pate Brisee you have but if you are making it from scratch feel free to half the recipe above.

To make the brisee began by creaming the butter and shortening by itself until whipped. Note: Shortening tends to make the dough more elastic while butter tends to be more flavorful. I use a combination to reap the benefits of both but feel free to mix and match to suit your taste.  Once you have whipped the butter add the milk, egg, and dry ingredients except the flour and mix again till it comes together. The mixture will look a bit strange but do not overmix. Add the Flour a cup at a time until incorporated. The Dough will be quite soft but will be able to be formed into a ball. Cover and allow to rest for a least four hours or preferably overnight. 

Step 2: The Curd

Cream the Butter and Sugar together. Zest Three Lemons and add the zest to the mixture. Add the Eggs gradually and then the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for about 10 minutes as it thickens (The curd will thicken more as it cools) Allow the Curd to cool and then place until a piping or ziploc bag. 

Step 2: The Meringue

If you have not made a meringue before don't worry it is the easiest thing to bake involving egg whites. Meringue in essence is heavily aerated egg whites often used to add lightness to dishes (such as cakes), or as a base for the dish itself(e.g souffles or Chiffon Cakes). To make meringue separate the egg whites until a Metal bowl. 

Note: The reason why you should make it in a metal bowl is due to the composition of meringue. Meringue is able to maintain its form due to the binding of the proteins in the egg whites trapping in air, Lipids(Fats) cut these bonds making the meringue lose form. Plastic Bowls our porous which can keep residual fat. That is why it is very important to use a clean metal bowl and make sure not egg yolks get in the mixture.

Add the Cream of Tarter, (this is to provide stability) and the sugar to the bowl. Using a Hand or Stand Mixer (you can whip by hand but I wouldn't recommend it unless you like being sore) whip the meringue into firm peaks. You don't need to pipe the meringue so must make sure its firm enough to hold shape.

Step 3: Baking

Tartlets can be a very rustic and fun dish so don't be afraid to let your hair down (not literally as that would be unsanitary) as you shape your tartlets. Grease a Muffin Tin, (or 5 inch Pie Tins if you have them) and set aside. Pinch off a portion of Pate Brisee about the size of a large walnut. Now you can roll these out if you desire but tart dough is quite soft and pliable so I formed the shells by pressing between my palms until I got a disk and then pushing them into the pan. Patch and Shape your shells in their pans if needed. Dock(poke) the shells vigorously before popping them into a 350 F/177 C to blind bake for about 5 minutes. (This was when I made the meringue). Take the Shells out and add about 2 Tablespoons of Lemon Curd to the base of the shell. Using a large spoon dollop the Meringue onto the tartlets covering the curd completely. Place the Tartlets bake in the over for about 10 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown and a knife comes out clean. Take out the tarts and let cool completely

Step 4: Enjoy

And there you go an Easy Peasy Lemon Meringue Tart. Like I said before these are the perfect little snack desert for teas, parties, or any other social occasion that requires miniature dishes. One thing I would like to mention about serving is that the tartlets should be served only after they have cooled completely this is due to the filling needing to set. Anyway please let me know if you tried out this recipe and if you enjoyed it. Any changes or suggestions let me now down below. 

Happy Baking.