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Daring Bakers Challenge: Lemon Meringue Lovelies

Jan 28 by Anita 67 Comments

Lemonmeringue

It barely seems like the new year’s had time to settle in, and it’s time for Daring Bakers already! This month’s host is Jen of the lovely The Canadian Baker, and she picked a great classic for us to make: lemon meringue pie. When I think of lemon meringue I always think of those Strawberry Shortcake dolls I played with as a child; I had the Strawberry Shortcake doll (of course) and my sister had the Lemon Meringue doll. I remember she had a big poufy hat that looked just like a swirl of fluffy meringue. I never did understand why her pet was a little frog though; I guess they were running out of different animals to assign to each character!

(As a aside, maybe I’m showing my age, but I like classic Strawberry Shortcake. I’m not really too keen on the modernized trendy new Strawberry Shortcake dolls I’m seeing in stores. And it looks like they gave Lemon Meringue a new pet – a skunk! Wow, this girl just can’t catch a break, can she?)

I’m really glad Jen picked the lemon meringue pie, because I’m seeing some beautiful Meyer lemons at the market right now, little splashes of perky sunshine just begging to be used. I really love Meyer lemons, from their painter’s palette-bold yellow color to their elegant smooth skins to their subtle tang. I’m already hoarding a batch in my kitchen with eager ideas for them, and making lemon meringue pie fit right into the plans.

I have to give a real thumbs up to this recipe as well; easy to execute with fantastic results. I’m not really a pie person; long time readers will notice I’m more of a tart girl, but this pie crust recipe came together and rolled out like a dream. My only issue was that the crusts shrunk a little more than I anticipated during baking, so I didn’t get as deep-dish a pie as I wanted. Nevertheless, the baked crust was flaky, buttery, and a lovely container for the lemon curd filling.

Since I used Meyer lemons, the filling didn’t have the traditional zing of other lemon meringue pies, but a creamy, smooth, and wholly satisfying lemon flavor. I really liked the addition of butter to the filling, as it reminds me a great deal of my favorite lemon curd by Pierre Herme. As luck would have it, it’s been pouring buckets here in the Bay Area, and anyone who’s dealt with meringues knows that humidity is meringue’s worst enemy. And why does it always seem to turn humid the day you decide to whip up some egg whites? Nevertheless, the meringue whipped up as billowy and satin-shiny as you please, and baked up beautifully in the oven.

Playing around with piping the meringue made for great fun as well: I liked the little dots as shown in the first picture above.

Lemonmeringue2

Or you could go for some ruffly peaks.

Lemonmeringue3

Or perhaps just the classic swirly mounds.

These little darlings are really best eaten right out of the oven, though; especially on a rainy day, they just don’t hold up for very long. Altogether this was a great Daring Bakers exercise; the little pies were polished off quite handily. Thanks to Jen for another fun challenge!

Lemon Meringue Pie
(from "Wanda’s Pie in the Sky" by Wanda Beaver)
 
Makes one 10-inch (25 cm) pie

For the Crust:
3/4 cup (180 mL) cold butter; cut into ½-inch (1.2 cm) pieces
2 cups (475 mL) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) salt
1/3 cup (80 mL) ice water

For the Filling:
2 cups (475 mL) water
1 cup (240 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 mL) cornstarch
5 egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup (60 mL) butter
3/4 cup (180 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

For the Meringue:
5 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cream of tartar
1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 mL) granulated sugar

To Make the Crust:
Make sure all ingredients are as cold as possible. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt.Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.

Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll. On a lightly floured board (or countertop) roll the disk to a thickness of 1/8 inch (.3 cm). Cut a circle about 2 inches (5 cm) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm). Flute decoratively. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the cr ust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool completely before filling.

To Make the Filling:
Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated. Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. The mixture will be very thick. Add about 1 cup (240 mL) of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined. Pour into the prepared crust. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

To Make the Meringue:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack. Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.

Tagged with: lemon meringue tartlets + Daring Bakers

Bite This!

Filed Under: Custards, Fruit, Pastry, Recipes, Tarts

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Comments

  1. 1

    Dharm says

    Jan 28 at 12:41 am

    How yummy those pies look! Great job and I wish mine had turned out so divine looking….!!

    Reply
  2. 2

    peabody says

    Jan 28 at 12:46 am

    I went the Meyer lemon route too. They look lovely…I vote for the spiked meringue though.

    Reply
  3. 3

    Susan says

    Jan 28 at 1:16 am

    Your little pies are gorgeous. I second the choice of Meyer lemons, so good!

    Reply
  4. 4

    foodie froggy says

    Jan 28 at 2:17 am

    Wow, très jolies !! So cute !

    Reply
  5. 5

    sudhakar says

    Jan 28 at 2:33 am

    What cute little tarts. Lemon meringue is one of my favourites. I’m so happy when they put it on at work for dinner. I made it once and the meringue wasn’t great, not crispy.

    Reply
  6. 6

    Maryann says

    Jan 28 at 3:09 am

    So pretty! Good job you 🙂

    Reply
  7. 7

    Gretchen Noelle says

    Jan 28 at 4:23 am

    These look like fresh, sweet goodness! Great job! Oh, and I played with Strawberry Shortcakes too! I really like your shots, very creative!

    Reply
  8. 8

    Michelle says

    Jan 28 at 4:59 am

    These are beautiful little tartlets! Great job!

    Reply
  9. 9

    Rosa says

    Jan 28 at 5:06 am

    Your tartlets look perfect and very pretty! Gorgeous!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  10. 10

    zorra says

    Jan 28 at 5:26 am

    These are darlings are too cute to eat!

    Reply
  11. 11

    Dianne says

    Jan 28 at 6:29 am

    Your tarts looks very similar to mine! 🙂

    Speaking of Lemon Meringue I played with the SS dolls as a child too. My Mom (she’s a horder!) actually brought them for my daughter to play with. Surprisingly (or scarily if you really think about it) those 30+ year old dolls still smell like the did when I played with them way back when.

    Reply
  12. 12

    Madam Chow says

    Jan 28 at 7:39 am

    I used Meyer lemons, too, and my results were very similar. A nice crust that shrunk just a tad bit more than I expected, but not too much. And I’m really glad I used the Meyer lemons. Lovely tarts, and beautiful photography!

    Reply
  13. 13

    sara says

    Jan 28 at 7:41 am

    Oooh, so pretty! I love all the different designs you did with the meringue!

    Reply
  14. 14

    Meeta says

    Jan 28 at 7:41 am

    I love the first picture with the dots. Looks great! As always you creations are gorgeous!

    Reply
  15. 15

    Jerry says

    Jan 28 at 8:40 am

    Love the little tarts! Good Job!

    Reply
  16. 16

    Big Boys Oven says

    Jan 28 at 8:42 am

    Oh your pie look so adorable…. I love those little meringues drops!

    Reply
  17. 17

    Karen says

    Jan 28 at 8:47 am

    I loved Strawberry Shortcake too! Your pictures say it all, great job!

    Reply
  18. 18

    cakewardrobe says

    Jan 28 at 8:56 am

    Beautifully made and presented!

    Reply
  19. 19

    Paula says

    Jan 28 at 9:00 am

    Beautiful tartlettes! Love the meringue, so pretty!

    Reply
  20. 20

    Kelly says

    Jan 28 at 9:37 am

    I love your meringue dots. Reminds me of hershey kisses and that’s a good thing since I’m a huge chocolate lover. I still have some of my original SS dolls but not my favourite, Apple Blossom.

    Reply
  21. 21

    April says

    Jan 28 at 10:17 am

    Your little tarts look fantastic!

    Reply
  22. 22

    Alev says

    Jan 28 at 10:30 am

    Beautiful and So pretty.. I made heart shape tartlettes to..

    cheers

    Alev

    Reply
  23. 23

    Katie says

    Jan 28 at 10:46 am

    Your tarts are soooo cute. I love their little brown tips of meringue. Aboslutely gorgeous

    Reply
  24. 24

    Anali says

    Jan 28 at 10:57 am

    These are so elegant looking! Oh and congratulations on the cookbook! I can’t wait! ; )

    Reply
  25. 25

    Kat says

    Jan 28 at 11:09 am

    these look so beautiful!

    Reply
  26. 26

    Baking Soda says

    Jan 28 at 12:00 pm

    Perky pies and such a nice presentation. Yummy!

    Reply
  27. 27

    Tablebread says

    Jan 28 at 12:14 pm

    Oh I love it when these are made into tarts! Great job!

    Reply
  28. 28

    Jenny says

    Jan 28 at 12:23 pm

    Oh those are adorable!
    I’m on the hunt for meyer lemons right now, and plan to try them out in this pie if I ever find any.

    Reply
  29. 29

    DaviMack says

    Jan 28 at 12:44 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  30. 30

    Miss Scarlett says

    Jan 28 at 1:00 pm

    This DB challenge reminded me of those little dolls too! I had to find a picture of one to post with my Lemon Meringue Pie. Your pies are BEAUTIFUL!

    Reply
  31. 31

    Michelle says

    Jan 28 at 1:18 pm

    Ahhh… I loved my Strawberry Shortcake dolls! Thanks for a happy memory!

    Your pies look so yummy!

    Reply
  32. 32

    Lesley says

    Jan 28 at 1:39 pm

    Your tarts are gorgeous! I would easily bite into one of those!

    Reply
  33. 33

    Deborah says

    Jan 28 at 1:51 pm

    I was a Strawberry Shortcake fan growing up, and I had the Lemon Meringue doll that blew kisses that smelled like lemon. Memories!!

    Your pies look perfect – like always!!

    Reply
  34. 34

    Maria says

    Jan 28 at 2:45 pm

    I like the ruffly peaks! Your petite pies are adorable!

    Reply
  35. 35

    brilynn says

    Jan 28 at 3:04 pm

    I had a strawberry shortcake doll too and when you squeezed her she blew kisses!

    And of course, your pies are beautiful!

    Reply
  36. 36

    breadchick says

    Jan 28 at 4:55 pm

    Your tartlets are so cute I could eat two of them, one for each hand! Great job on your challenge this month!

    Reply
  37. 37

    Laura Rebecca says

    Jan 28 at 4:55 pm

    I love how dainty these tarts are — so pretty and ladylike. Lovely!

    Reply
  38. 38

    Ivonne says

    Jan 28 at 5:27 pm

    Those are the cutest tarts! I love the little peaks on the meringue. And this post is just another reason for me to love you because I too was a huge fan of Strawberry Shortcake!

    Reply
  39. 39

    Carla says

    Jan 28 at 5:34 pm

    I love those cute little meringue dots. Adorable!

    Reply
  40. 40

    Kevin says

    Jan 28 at 5:50 pm

    Nice looking lemon meringue tarts! I really like the meringue topping in the top photo.

    Reply
  41. 41

    kate says

    Jan 28 at 6:30 pm

    man, those look purty!!! i wish mine was so good looking.

    : )

    ———-
    kate
    http://www.thecleanplateclub.net

    Reply
  42. 42

    monica says

    Jan 28 at 6:39 pm

    gorgeous pie-tarts, anita! had i gotten around to this challenge, i would have used meyer lemons, too. i love their sweet tang and think they would make excellent an exquisite LMP. lovely variations on the meringue! and i loved reiminiscing about strawberry shortcake!

    Reply
  43. 43

    Tartelette says

    Jan 28 at 8:23 pm

    I was all about Strawberry Shortcake too and I gave that gene to my niece, hehehe!!
    I love how bright and sharp your pictures are…I can only imagine how wonderful the tarts must be!

    Reply
  44. 44

    simply says

    Jan 29 at 2:55 am

    well done on this month’s challenge. Lovely tartlets

    Reply
  45. 45

    Inne says

    Jan 29 at 4:01 am

    Such cute lil’ tartlets, Anita. They look absolutely delicious.

    Reply
  46. 46

    Nan says

    Jan 29 at 5:18 am

    Your tarts are so cute! Old-school Strawberry Shortcake…we must be in the same generation 😉

    Reply
  47. 47

    Kim says

    Jan 29 at 5:19 am

    Such lovely little tarts – they should be in a case somewhere.

    Reply
  48. 48

    Hannah says

    Jan 29 at 6:30 am

    All of your variations in decorating with meringue came out simply beautifully. I particularly like the first one with little dots though- They’re so cute and whimsical!

    Reply
  49. 49

    Maryann says

    Jan 29 at 7:39 am

    They turned out lovely. Really pretty 🙂

    Reply
  50. 50

    Ashley says

    Jan 29 at 10:21 am

    Your tarts are so cute! I love how just the tips are browned on the first one.

    Reply
  51. 51

    Cheryl says

    Jan 29 at 11:56 am

    Beautiful little meringues. I too am a big fan of the traditional strawberry shortcake doll.

    Reply
  52. 52

    Merav says

    Jan 29 at 2:13 pm

    Absolutely delightful tarts! Looks like we chose a similar dot piping technique!

    Reply
  53. 53

    Chris says

    Jan 29 at 5:20 pm

    Look lovely!! I laughed at your Strawberry Shortcake mention. I just wrote a post (not blogged yet) about the character Blueberry Muffin! 🙂 We are all the same age group, it seems. hee!

    Reply
  54. 54

    Andrea says

    Jan 29 at 5:27 pm

    Your tarts look so beautiful!

    Reply
  55. 55

    Dolores says

    Jan 29 at 7:03 pm

    I’ve also still got my Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Muffin, and Lemon Meringue dolls. And they still smell like fruit-scented room freshener. (My Cabbage Patch Kid didn’t fare so well) I can’t believe they’ve tried to modernize them!

    Beautiful lemon tarts!

    Reply
  56. 56

    cookworm says

    Jan 30 at 9:01 am

    Such pretty little tartlets…I love the way yours turned out!

    Reply
  57. 57

    Pooja says

    Jan 30 at 4:07 pm

    Holy… yumm!!

    Reply
  58. 58

    Michelle says

    Jan 30 at 8:20 pm

    I love your meringues which look like kisses to me…Awesome Job!

    Reply
  59. 59

    Jen Yu says

    Jan 30 at 8:58 pm

    I am never disappointed in your pastries. The little tarts are beautiful! I’m super jealous that you used Meyer lemons – my favorite lemon EVER 🙂 You are a superstar!!

    Reply
  60. 60

    Lisa says

    Jan 30 at 9:07 pm

    Lovely! I like the one’s that remind me of kisses 🙂

    Reply
  61. 61

    Suzana says

    Jan 31 at 2:22 am

    Fabulous pies – I love the meringue browned soft peaks!

    Reply
  62. 62

    steph says

    Jan 31 at 6:13 am

    they are lovely, and with meyer lemons i bet they tasted great!

    i’m sure my strawberry shortcake doll is still at my parents’. i found her lying (naked!) on a beach in mexico as a kid, adopted her immediately and got her all kinds of accessories!

    Reply
  63. 63

    kitten says

    Jan 31 at 9:13 am

    your little tarts are so cute. glad to hear this challenge was such a success for you. i love the idea of using meyer lemons too. (i mixed 1/2 meyer 1/2 regular in mine)

    Reply
  64. 64

    Tracy says

    Jan 31 at 10:46 am

    Your tartlets look amazing! I had a Strawberry Shortcake doll too! It was scented like strawberries. =)

    Reply
  65. 65

    Claire says

    Feb 2 at 12:25 pm

    I love the little tarts…they look great!

    Reply
  66. 66

    Anita says

    Feb 3 at 3:36 pm

    Thank you all for the wonderful comments! I had a great time with the recipe and hope you all did too!

    Reply
  67. 67

    a french girl "cuisine" says

    May 11 at 4:37 pm

    I always wanted to try this recipe, maybe I will have time this week end to bake yours!

    Reply

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about pastrygirl

Anita Chu, also known as pastrygirl, is a baker, writer, and photographer with a passion for pastry. She trained at Tante Marie's Cooking School and is the author of Field Guide to Cookies, Field Guide to Candy, and Lollipop Love. Anita lives in San Francisco with her husband, baby girl, and rescue cockapoo Snickerdoodle. More about pastrygirl

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