ERIC’S AWARD WINNING LEMON-LIME MERINGUE TARTS

My son Eric works for a production company in LA, and since the name is Pilgrim their main holiday party is at Thanksgiving.  So the Wednesday before Thanksgiving they had a big shindig, including a pie baking contest.  Eric entered these lemon tarts that he got out of Rebecca Rather’s Pastry Queen cookbook.  (The Tuxedo Cake in my blog is also from her cookbook -- the lady knows her stuff!!)  Eric won prettiest pie, voted on by 200 co-workers, best fruit pie, and the grand prize for best all around pie, which were selected by judges.  His prizes totalled $2550!!!  So the picture is actually what he entered and included lemons and limes that were sugared and then torched.  One judge told him he didn't even like lemon, but that Eric's pie was great so he gave him a score of 10 out of 10. To say I’m a proud mama doesn’t even come close to it.  One interesting note is that out of 62 pies his was the only entry that had meringue on it – could that really be a Southern thing?  The meringue is made in a unique way and is truly wonderful, tasting more like marshmallow cream than typical meringue.  All the components of the pies are wonderful – the crust, the curd and the meringue.  They are a bit of a chore to make but if you love lemon meringue, these are worth your time.  He made them for us at Xmas and they are truly heavenly.

CRUST:

1-1/2 c. pecans

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans

1 c. powdered sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

1-1/2 c. flour

¼ t. salt

LEMON-LIME CURD:

10 extra large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

1-1/2 c. sugar

½ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ c. freshly squeezed lime juice

Zest of 2 lemons

2 TB unsalted butter

MERINGUE:

10 extra large egg whites, room temperature

3 c. sugar

To make the crusts preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in the oven for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic.  With your fingers, butter eight 4-3/8”, 1 cup capacity disposable foil tartlet pans, using about 2 TB softened butter.  Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla, then gradually add the flour and salt and combine on low speed until incorporated.  Add the nuts and mix on low speed just until they are incorporated.  Form the dough into a ball – it will be sticky – and cover it with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees again.  Remove the dough from the frig, divide into 8 equal portions, and press into the prepared pans, making sure it comes up to the top edge of the pans.  If the dough sticks to your hands, dust them with flour as often as necessary.  Bake the crusts about 20 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and cool at least 30 minutes before filling with lemon-lime curd.  (Don’t worry if the tart bottoms look wrinkly.)  At this point the crusts can be cooled and stored in airtight containers for up to 2 days.

To make the curd whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon and lime juices, and zest in the top of a double boiler.  Add the butter to the egg yolk mixture and whixk until melted and smooth.  Cook about 50 minutes, stirring lightly with a whisk about every 15 minutes.  The curd should be thick, resembling the consistency of loose custard.  Transfer the warm mixture to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap onto the surface of the curd, sealing it and leaving no air between the wrap and the curd.  Refrigerate the curd for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.  For express cooling, freeze it for at least 1 hour.

To make the meringue set a large, perfectly clean metal bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Pour in the egg whites and sugar.  (If there is a trace of fat in the bowl, the eggs won’t reach their proper volume.)  Heat the egg whites and sugar while whisking constantly until the sugar melts and there are no visible grains in the meringue.  Take a little meringue mixture and rub it between your fingers to make sure all sugar grains have melted.  Remove the meringue from over the simmering water and whip it with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on low speed for 5 minutes; increase the speed to high and beat 5 minutes longer, until the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the broiler (unless you have a kitchen torch).  To assemble the tarts, spoon the chilled lemon-lime curd into the crusts, filling them about three-quarters of the way to the top.  Pile the meringue on top of the curd.  Style the meringue with your fingers by plucking at it to tease the meringue into jagged spikes.  Having a bit of meringue stuck to your fingers will help you form big spikes on the tarts.  (For those who do not like the hands on approach, stroking the meringue with the back of a spoon works almost as well, but is not as much fun.)  Set the tarts on the middle rack of the oven and broil until the meringue topping turns golden brown, about 1 minute.  Watch the tarts closely, as they can turn from browned to burned in a matter of seconds.  (If you are using a kitchen torch, hold it 2-3” away from the meringue and move the flame slowly around the meringue until it is browned all over.)  The tarts should be served the day they are assembled.