Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart Is Delicious

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I’m such a lemon lover, especially Meyer lemons. That’s why I love making this tart.

This lemon tart is so pretty and delicious. It’s the perfect dessert when you’re entertaining friends and family. I can’t make it very often because I’m always tempted to eat the whole thing. It’s a process. I won’t lie. But it’s so worth it!

You may be wondering what’s so special about Meyer lemons. Meyer lemons are a small, sweet hybrid, thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange.

Meyer lemons are smaller and have a more rounded shape than regular lemons. They have a smooth, thin, deep yellow or orange skin.  These lemons are commonly grown in China as an ornamental tree. However, they became extremely popular in the United States back in the ’70s and we’ve loved them ever since.

If You Can’t Find Meyer Lemons, Do This

If you can’t find Meyer lemons (peak season is November – March), there’s an easy workaround. Replace the juice and zest with equal parts of lemon juice and tangerine juice.

For this recipe, you can use 1/3 lemon juice and 1/3 tangerine juice to equal 2/3 cup of juice. For the zest, use 3/4 Tablespoon tangerine zest and 3/4 Tablespoon lemon zest.

I rarely use my 10-inch tart pan, so I’m always excited to use it when I make a Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart. If you don’t have a tart pan, you can buy one from Amazon. 

There are a few steps to this tart, but it’s really not that hard. And don’t be afraid to make a meringue. It’s easier than it sounds.

For this tart, I make an Italian meringue. This type of meringue is safe to use without cooking and it holds it’s volume well. If you’re interested, you can read all about the three different types of meringues. The three different types are Swiss, Italian and French.

Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart

Graham Cracker Crust

Place the tart pan on a baking sheet.

Make the graham cracker crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.

Firmly press mixture on the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tart pan. I use a small measuring cup to press the mixture up the sides.

Bake at 350º for 8 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Lemon Curd

In a heavy saucepan, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in eggs and egg yolks. Stir in lemon juice.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Continue to boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove pan from heat and stir in lemon zest and butter pieces.

Fill a large bowl with ice and place the pan of lemon curd in ice. Let stand, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.

Spread lemon curd over graham cracker crust.

Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the lemon curd to prevent a film from forming. Chill for two hours.

How To Keep Lemon Curd From Becoming Scrambled Eggs

Never stop whisking! It may seem like a long process, but never stop whisking! Turn on your favorite tunes before making lemon curd. You don’t have to whisk super fast, just don’t stop.

My Apple watch asked me if I was exercising! I mean, it doesn’t talk, but you know. Nope, just whisking away.

Whisk all the ingredients together BEFORE turning on the heat.

Cook low (medium) and slow. You may be tempted to turn up the heat. Don’t.

If you do see a few egg whites floating around in your lemon curd, strain it into another saucepan as soon as you remove it from the heat. Then stir in the zest and cold butter and cool according to the recipe below.

Meringue for Meyer Lemon Tart

Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until clear. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240º F.

Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add syrup mixture, beating constantly. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue into the center of the tart and spread within 2 inches of the edge of tart.

Preheat broiler. Broil 2-3 minutes, 8 inches from heat, until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack and then chill for one hour.

How To Tell The Difference Between Soft and Stiff Peaks

You know you have soft peaks when you turn your whisk upside down and the peaks are just starting to hold. They’re soft and don’t hold their shape after a second.

Medium peaks will hold their shape pretty well. The tip of the peak will curl over a little when you lift the whisk.

You can tell the peaks are stiff when you hold the whisk upside down and the peaks stand straight up without collapsing at all. The mixture is thick and heavy.

Be careful not to overbeat! You know you’ve gone too far when the egg whites start to look grainy and dull.

How to Remove the Ring from The Tart Pan Before Serving

You can hold the tart pan from below with one hand and let the ring fall down onto your arm. An easier way is to set the tart pan on a wide can (like a can of tomatoes). Hold the ring and gently pull it downward.

Place the tart on a serving plate to serve.

This tart is the perfect dessert when entertaining or when you’re craving lemon pie. It’s amazing!

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