A crisp short tart shell filled with smooth tangy lemon curd, crushed pistachio praline and topped with a lightly torched Italian meringue. The ultimate version of the classic lemon meringue pie.
Sometimes I just want to make the classics, but it can’t just be a normal lemon meringue tart!! This is my version of the classic lemon meringue pie; in the form of a dainty tart filled with a nutty and sweet pistachio praline. The pistachio adds a warmness to the zesty lemon and rounds out the flavour of the dessert, bringing it up to a different level!
The real reason behind making this tart though was the fact that my lemon tree decided to bring us HUNDREDS of lemons this year. Not only did I use the lemons to trial and make this recipe, but I also used them to create these tarts at the restaurant I’m working at and there is still thousands... I’ve been drinking lemon water, making lemon tea, baking lemon cakes and at this point I’m going to become a living lemon. I’m not complaining though because there are so many delicious things I can make with them and I guess you guys might be seeing a few more delicious lemon desserts soon!
Common Lemon Meringue Tart Questions
Now we want to get that lemon meringue tart perfect! The most common problems are getting soggy crusts, or preventing the sad situation of a deflated meringue. I hope these tips help you create the perfect lemon dessert.
How do you keep lemon meringue pie from getting soggy?
The trick to keeping your tart shells short yet crisp is egg whites! After you have finished baking your tart shells brush the insides with some lightly beaten egg whites. Then place the shells back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
The egg whites act as a waterproof barrier between the lemon curd and tart shell, keeping the sable from getting soggy.
What is the trick to getting the perfect Italian meringue?
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when making a meringue.
- Keep all utensils grease free
- Oil is the enemy of meringues, as it prevents them from whipping up to their full potential. Make sure to clean all your equipment with lemon juice or vinegar before you start whipping your egg whites
- Start beating your egg whites before your sugar syrup has reached the right temperature
- The sugar syrup needs to reach 120C/248F before you can add it to your egg whites
- Start your mixer on high when the sugar syrup reaches 110C/230F, so once the syrup has reached the right temperature the egg whites will be at soft peaks (the perfect timing!)
- Add the sugar in a slow, steady stream down the side of your mixing bowl at medium-low speed
- This way the sugar is steadily incorporated into the meringue without being splashed up the sides of the bowl. This helps them be fully incorporated into the egg whites!
How do you keep your meringue from deflating?
Meringues deflate when they aren't stable, and the easiest way to stabilise egg whites is with sugar.
Of the three types of meringue French, Swiss and Italian, Italian is the most stable as the sugar is cooked into a syrup. That's why it's the meringue of choice on top of lemon meringue pies!
To ensure that the meringue is at peak stability you need to carefully gage the temperature of the sugar. If it doesn't reach 120C/148F the resulting meringue may look amazing at first, but will deflate and weep overtime. So keep a close eye on your candy thermometer.
How long can you keep lemon meringue pie?
The longest you should keep lemon meringue tarts is 3 days, afterwards the tart shell will inevitably become soggy. Make sure to keep them refrigerated in an airtight container. That being said it isn't inedible, just not in it's best form!
How to pipe the perfect squiggle on your tart
Honestly lemon meringue tarts aren’t my dessert of choice, they seem a little… boring? And so to spice it up a little I needed to change not only the flavour, but also the look of the tart to match my style! The squiggle of meringue on top adds elegance and makes it look so pretty.
To recreate it just use a St.Honore piping tip. I know a lot of you won’t have the piping tip on hand, but you can still create the same ruffle effect without one! After filling your piping bag with meringue cut the tip of the bag diagonally, and then pipe the meringue onto the tart by holding the longer edge of the bag against the curd. You’ll be surprised how beautiful your piping is.
Back to the recipe
One question that people have been asking me a lot is where I get the tart rings I use for my tarts. I use Silikomart 80 tart rings. The link to them is here.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy my version of the classic lemon meringue tart and I can’t wait to see your recreations.
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.
Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Meringue Tart with Pistachio Praline
A crisp short tart shell filled with smooth tangy lemon curd, crushed pistachio praline and topped with a lightly torched Italian meringue. The ultimate version of the classic lemon meringue pie.
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 120 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
Ingredients
Sable Tart Shell
- 240 g Plain flour
- 35 g Almond meal
- 100 g Icing/Confectioners sugar
- 120 g Unsalted butter
- 1 Egg
Pistachio Praline
- 70 g Pistachio kernels, roughly chopped
- 70 g Sugar
Lemon Curd Filling
- 150 g Lemon juice
- 1 Egg
- 4 Egg yolks
- 120 g Sugar
- 1 ½ Gelatin sheets
- 125 g Unsalted butter
Italian Meringue
- 200 g Caster/Superfine sugar
- 80 g Water
- 100 g Egg whites
Instructions
Sable Tart Shell
- Combine flour, almond meal, sugar and salt in food processor
- Add butter and process until a fine breadcrumb texture
- Add beaten egg slowly until the dough comes together
- Roll and reserve in freezer for [cooked-timer minutes=”15″]15 Minutes[/cooked-timer]
- Fit into mould and reserve moulds in freezer for [cooked-timer minutes=”30″]30 Minutes[/cooked-timer] (I used Silikomart 80mm tart rings)
- Trim the edges of the shells
- Dock the base and bake at 170°C for [cooked-timer minutes=”15″]15 Minutes[/cooked-timer]
Pistachio Praline
- Place sugar in a small saucepan and heat until golden brown
- Add the crushed pistachios and stir until well combined
- Pour the mixture onto a sheet of baking paper/ silicone mat
- Allow to cool completely before breaking into smaller pieces
- Fill each tart shell with ~7g of praline
Lemon Curd
- Bloom the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water
- Combine lemon juice, egg, egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over a pot of boiling water
- Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens (reaches ~70°C)
- Squeeze water from gelatine sheets and add to the lemon mixture
- Add the butter and stir until completely melted
- Pour into tart shells filled with pistachio praline
- Place in fridge for 1-2 hours to set
Italian Meringue
- Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- Combine the water and sugar into a small saucepan and heat until it reaches 110°C / 230°F
- At this point begin whisking the egg whites at high speed
- When the sugar syrup reaches 120°C /248 °F remove from heat and pour into the egg whites in a slow and steady stream
- Continue whisking on high speed for 2-3 minutes, then reduce to medium and continue beating until cooled and at room temperature
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a St.Honore tip
- Pipe a squiggle on top of each tart
- Using a blow torch, torch the meringue until a dark golden brown
- Sprinkle tarts with remaining pistachio praline
Related Recipes
Zoe Aldana
Thanks for the recipes! I have a weakness for lemon and pistachio, so I’m definitely going to try making this and your final dessert from Zumbo’s! Wishing you the best ✨ <3
Catherine Zhang
Hi Zoe, Thank you! Hope you like the recipe 🙂
Lieacha
Is it possible to do a baked version to this tart?
Catherine Zhang
There are baked versions but this one doesn't need it 🙂
Alex
Is torching the meringue just for looks or is there a purpose? I want to attempt this, but I don't have a blowtorch to brown the meringue.
Jessie
Thank you so much for the recipe. I made it for Easter and it came out perfectly. I felt like i was on the British back-off in the end because I was in a rush to take it to dinner, LOL. I made one big one and put the praline one top. I had to youtube piping, because I'd never done it before. Not nearly as beautiful as yours but still delicious!
Catherine
Hi Jessie! Haha sounds exciting 😆 So glad you liked the recipe ❤️
Trisha
Hello, if I want to use the lemon curd as cake filling would I omit the gelatin so that it doesn’t set up as firmly?
Catherine Zhang
Hi Trisha, Yes you can omit the gelatin and continue to thicken the lemon curd a little longer. Make sure you make a wall of buttercream/cream for the lemon curd when assembling your cake to prevent it from oozing out!
Sophie H
I made tarts for the first time using this recipe, and they turned out beautifully and were a huge hit with my parents (not too sweet :))
★★★★★
Catherine Zhang
So glad they loved them 🥰
Tahliah
Hi, love your recipes! I was just wondering if you could let me know the size of the piping top used here? Thank you 🙂
Catherine Zhang
I used a medium-sized st Honore piping tip for these!