Lemon Meringue Tart

My plan was to make a Lemon Meringue Pie. My relatively recent success with making a pie crust has had me obsessing about making pies. Not wanting to be a one pie crust making wonder, the more practice I have the better the chances are that I can be a multiple pie crust making wonder. But I had taken some butter out to make cookies (using a recipe I wasn't able to find but really need to) and rather than have the butter go to waste I thought 'why not make a Lemon Meringue Tart instead', one with a shortbread crust. The pie making would just have to be temporarily delayed along with any gratification I might get from making a pie with a really great crust. 

What is not to love about the velvety, sweet, citrus flavor of a lemon custard (or curd) and a light, creamy, slightly burned, sweet meringue combined in one single confection? Hint: There is only one right, short answer to that question. If you said 'nothing' kudos to you for getting the right, short answer. If you paused and were feeling compelled to give a qualifying answer to the question (like 'nothing unless the lemon custard is just okay and the meringue doesn't have much taste'), kudos to you for getting the right, long answer. But after you make this Lemon Meringue Tart, you will never feel the need to give a long answer to that question again.

Lemon meringue has been a confection around since the 19th century. Some attribute the creation of combining lemon custard with meringue in a pie to Swiss baker Alexander Frehse while others claim Philadelphian chef Elizabeth Coane Goodfellow was responsible. Regardless of who may be the real lemon meringue creator (I shall remain neutral), it wasn't until the mid-20th century that lemon meringue pies/tarts began to take on a life of their own across the country. While I can't help but wonder what took so long for lemon meringue to catch on, I am just thankful I didn't live in that lemon meringue deprived 'beginning of the 19th century to the mid-20th century' time warp.

One of the great things about a Lemon Meringue Tart is that a single piece can be completely satisfying (except maybe for those of you who have an insatiable sweet tooth or an affinity bordering on addiction for lemon meringue). It is probably one of the only desserts on the planet whose sheer beauty cannot tempt me into over indulging (unlike other desserts that have the power to convince me to lose all self-control). If someone ever asked the rhetorical question 'What is enough for you?', my answer would simply be 'one piece of a Lemon Meringue Tart'.

The shortbread crust recipe came from Maury Rubin's Book of Tarts. The master recipe for the shortbread crust provided just the right amount of dough for a nine (9) inch tart pan.

All of the baking directions for the tarts in Rubin's book are for the smaller four (4) inch tarts, so I had to make some baking time decisions. The shortbread crust baked for 18-20 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. I had checked the tart shell midway through and noticed the sides had fallen slightly. Momentarily I thought maybe I should have made a pie, but after salvaging and tasting the tart shell any second thoughts I may have had quickly disappeared (this is one buttery, delicious shortbread crust). My shortbread crust making takeaway lesson is to decrease the baking temperature to 350 degrees and increase the baking time to 20-25 minutes or until the shell is lightly browned.

The average sized lemon yields approximately three (3) tablespoons of lemon juice. Store this little tidbit away in your memory as it may come in handy the day you find recipe that simply lists the juice of one, two or three lemons as one of the ingredients. My lemons were on the smaller size so I needed to use four of them to get a half-cup of lemon juice. And oh, always remember to zest your lemons before you juice them (another lesson learned after rushing through another recipe once a long time ago).

This lemon custard is perfect balance of creamy, velvety, sweet and tart. I am calling it a custard but it has some of the same qualities as a curd.

The cooked lemon custard is poured into the cooled tart shell. A piece of parchment paper or wax paper is placed on top of the custard and the entire tart is placed in the refrigerator while the meringue is assembled. It is important the custard has cooled before you finish with the meringue. Note: When you remove the wax paper/parchment paper it will pull up some of the custard. Not to worry, you want the top of the custard to be a little rough as it will help the meringue to adhere better.

I couldn't decide whether to make a Swiss meringue (the eggs and sugar are heated on top of double boiler until warm before they are whipped into stiff peaks in a mixer) or a regular meringue. I went with the regular meringue. To ensure my meringue would be smooth and not grainy I used superfine instead of granulated sugar. This meringue is simply whipped at medium-high speed until it is glossy and stiff peaks form.

If you are going for a bit of drama (in presentation), use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip to decorate the top of the lemon custard. If you are going for a rustic, comfort food look, just spread the meringue on the custard using an offset spatula. Whichever meringue finishing decision you make, just make sure the meringue completely covers the lemon custard.

I have never been a fan of using the broiler to 'slightly brown and caramelize' a meringue. If you are, great, simply place the tart under the broiler for 20-60 seconds or until it is golden brown and caramelized in parts. Rather I am a fan of using a propane torch. If you haven't tried this yet, you should. You don't need to spend alot of money on the torches sold cooking stores, the torches they sell in the hardware store work just as well (if not better) and they are usually half the price. 

Refrigerate the Lemon Meringue Tart until ready to serve. This tart is best the day it is made, however, the leftovers (if you have any) are just as delicious the next day. While you may be like me and are only able to eat only one piece on the day you serve it, you might not be able to resist having another piece, even if it is just a sliver, the next day. 

Recipe

Lemon Meringue Tart (inspirations for shortbread crust from Maury Rubin's Book of Tarts and lemon custard filling from foodblogger Yossy Arefi)

Ingredients
Crust
13 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 13 pieces and softened slightly
1/3 cup confectionary sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg yolk
1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream

Lemon Custard Filling
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup water
1 1//4 cups granulated sugar 
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 egg yolks, room temperature
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons lemon zest

Meringue
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup superfine or caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions
Crust
1. Place confectionary sugar in bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add butter and toss to coat.
2. Cream sugar and butter until sugar is completely blended into butter.
3. Add egg yolk and blend until completely incorporated.
4. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix in half of the flour until dough appears crumbly.
5. Add remaining flour and heavy cream and continue mixing until dough becomes a sticky mass.
6. Shape dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
7. Lightly flour a surface and roll out dough to fit the tart shell.
8. Transfer and fit dough into tart shell. Freeze for 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tart shell is golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool before filling is added.

Lemon Custard Filling
1. Whisk egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine and whisk cornstarch, water, lemon juice, sugar and salt together until no lumps remain in cornstarch.
3. Bring mixture to a boil (stirring frequently). At boiling point, continue to stir constantly for an additional 75 seconds. Mixture will be very thick.
4. Very, very slowly whisk in lemon mixture into egg mixture, stirring constantly (to prevent eggs from curdling). Return mixture to pan and continue to cook over low heat (stirring constantly) for 60 seconds. 
5. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and lemon zest.
6. Pour filling into cooled tart shell. Cover filling with wax paper or parchment paper (this will help meringue adhere later). 
7. Set in refrigerator while preparing meringue.

Meringue
1. In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, beat eggs until frothy. Slowly add sugar, salt and vanilla and continue beating on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
2. Put meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and create design of your choice onto meringue filling (or spread using an offset spatula).
3. Using a torch, carefully adjust flame over the meringue until it is golden brown and deeply caramelized in spots. Or place tart under the broiler and bake for 20 to 60 seconds until it is golden brown and deeply caramelized in spots.
4. Remove pie from oven and cool completely in refrigerator before slicing and serving.
Note: Can substitute this meringue with a Swiss Meringue.

Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Spread

Almost everyone has a favorite artichoke dip or spread recipe. For years my go to artichoke dip has been one made with parmesan cheese, goat cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream. It is one of those delicious, rich and a little on the 'heavy' side hot spreads. But not everyone likes goat cheese. As an alternative I sometimes make the Roasted Artichoke Dip with Feta and Oregano, a spread that is much 'lighter', however, not everyone is a fan of Feta cheese. Then a few weeks back I was at a gathering and tasted an artichoke spread I was immediately addicted to. If it was socially appropriate, I would have just hovered over the dish and discouraged everyone else from trying it.

One bite and I immediately knew this was a recipe I had to have, keeping my fingers crossed the woman who brought the appetizer would be willing to share it. Upon learning who made this dish I went over and introduced myself. Once I stopped gushing over the artichoke dip, I learned she graduated from the same high school I did (she graduated four years before I did so our paths had not crossed way back when). I went to a medium sized high school (maybe there were 3,000 students at the height of its' enrollment), however, I rarely, if ever, meet anyone from the town I grew up in or the high school I attended. Unlike a friend of mine who meets someone from her high school everywhere and I mean everywhere she goes (when it happened in San Diego we were speechless).

But I need to get back to this Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Spread. The layers of flavor from the artichokes, lemon juice, shallots, and parmesan cheese make it one of the most refreshing (and addictive) artichoke dips/spreads I have ever tasted. And almost everyone likes parmesan cheese. Right?

You absolutely have to make this for your next gathering, even if that gathering includes only you and your significant other or you and a friend or you and a neighbor. Even on the hottest day or in the hottest climates, you will be glad you turned on the oven for twenty minutes. And so will everyone else, even if they are sweating for a little while until your house cools down.

This spread is a reason to stock up on canned artichokes. One fourteen ounce can of artichokes (not packed on oil) are drained, chopped and set aside while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

I made two changes to the recipe (yes, to the recipe I was immediately addicted to, the recipe I would have been slightly beside myself if I wasn't able to get). The first was using finely chopped shallots instead of a finely chopped yellow onion. And the mild onion/garlic flavor of the shallots definitely increased this spread's addictiveness level.

Instead of freshly grating Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, I grated a parmesan cheese I had picked up at the farmer's market, one that was aged but on the milder side. This is not a spread that needs the more intensely flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, but it is a spread that needs freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This spread could not be easier to assemble. Literally you can put it all together in less than 15 minutes (if you make it early in the day, just cover and refrigerate until ready to bake). In a medium sized bowl, the mayonnaise, shallots and cheese are mixed together. Once blended the chopped artichokes, freshly squeezed lemon juice and black pepper are mixed in. The entire mixture is than transferred to a shallow baking dish.

The second change I made was two-fold: Increasing the amount of topping and changing out the bread crumbs for Panko crumbs. Unless you are making your own bread crumbs, the texture you get from a topping made with  Panko crumbs always seems to work, always seems to taste better, and always has just the right amount of a crunch factor. I increased the amount of Panko crumbs because I wanted each bite of the spread to have both the creaminess of the spread and the crunch of the topping.

Six tablespoons of Panko crumbs are mixed with one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Once mixed they are spread evenly over the top of the artichoke mixture. The remaining one tablespoon of freshly grated parmesan cheese is then sprinkled over the top before the dish goes into the oven to bake.

The Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Spread is baked in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the mixture is heated all the way through. Serve hot/warm with crackers or crostini. 

And hey, if you bring this spread to a gathering you might end up meeting someone new, maybe even someone whose life path had crossed earlier with yours. But no matter who is at this gathering I am pretty certain at least one person will seek you out to ask you for the recipe.

Recipe

Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Spread (inspired by a recipe given to me by Pat Polselli)

Ingredients
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 cup and 1 Tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese (divided)
1 cup mayonnaise
14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 Tablespoons Panko crumbs
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix together the chopped shallots, grated parmesan cheese and mayonnaise until blended.
3. Stir in chopped artichoke hearts, lemon juice and black pepper.
4. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish.
5. Mix together the Panko crumbs and extra-virgin olive oil until all crumbs are coated.
6. Spread crumbs and one Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese evenly over top of artichoke mixture.
7. Bake for 20 minutes (crumbs will be golden brown).
8. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with crackers and/or crostini.

First a disclaimer. I am not a mystic, a spiritualist, or a parapsychology practitioner although I wish I was at least two of them. In spite of this, I have been known to sense a distinguishable aura to some of the places I have been. The kind of aura you feel immediately, one having a kind of 'take your breath away' feeling. For some unknown reason I can't always find the right words to describe the aura or adequately capture the qualities contributing to making these places uniquely distinctive (as hard as it is to believe there are actually moments when I find myself at a loss for words). Two of the places where I have felt significantly strong auras have been Nantucket and the Cotswolds. And last week I felt it in Missoula, Montana.

And like the other two places, I still haven't been able to find the right words to describe everything I felt the moment I set foot in Missoula. To say that it was beautiful, compelling, alive, or feeling as if it retained its' century's old energies might be a good place to start. But even those descriptions fall short. Between the river, mountains, lakes and the forests, Missoula draws you in. And already it is calling me back. 

Driving through (western) Montana you understand why it is called Big Sky country. The hues of blues in the sky are breathtaking, different than Colorado blues, Nantucket blues, and the midwestern blues I see every day. And as odd as it seems, the sky really does seem bigger in Montana. At one point on this trip I had stopped taking photos because I just wanted to take it all in (or maybe I was just giving myself an excuse, a reason to return). However, the one time I absolutely wished I had my camera with me was on the Clark Fork River at Alberton Gorge river raft trip. As anxious as I was to go on my first river raft trip (although the twenty minute safety talk had me rethinking it), I was never really afraid once we got onto the river. Maybe it was the aura, the one I can't seem to describe, that had me feeling a sense of calm (even when going through the rapids). Because nothing else can explain how my anxiousness could so magically disappear.

Blueberry Pie

At one of the Farmer's Markets I went to this past weekend there was a table filled with pints of freshly picked sour cherries. Immediately I thought 'wasn't there a cherry pie recipe using sour cherries I wanted to make?' Not having the recipe with me as well as momentarily even forgetting where I saw it (Bon Appetit), I passed on the sour cherries after being reassured of their availability for the next couple of weeks. While a cherry pie might be considered by some as the slightly more patriotic Fourth of July pie (thanks in part to mythical story of George Washington and the cherry tree), what is not to love about a blueberry pie, served with or without vanilla ice cream on the side?

The making of pies has always been little intimidating to me. My limited repertoire of pies, more specifically pies with a crust, includes only pumpkin and sweet potato. I have managed to sidestep making a homemade dough crust by convincing myself a pre-made refrigerator pie crust was just as good as one homemade. Rather than delve into the 'scary making a pie crust from scratch territory' my avoidance strategy was settling for the familiarity of the good, but not so great pre-made version. Needless to say I have expended a great deal of energy rationalizing and speculating about my ability (or rather inability) to make a great pie crust. My time was about to be put to better use. It was time to overcome my pie crust making fears of not making a crust 'good enough'.

In the process of making this blueberry pie I learned how to make a really, really great pie crust (and wicked blueberry pie). An equally important outcome was the reminder that once you let go of a fear you are capable of doing pretty much anything you set your heart on. 'What we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is a more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are.' No more settling for a refrigerated pie crust for my pies. The new mantra is now 'every pie deserves a homemade crust'.

The more common choices for the top crust of a pie are lattice, solid, honey-comb, and cut out designs. In the July/August issue of Martha Stewart's Living magazine, I discovered the less common 'pinwheel' pie crust. Made of twisted dough and somewhat reminiscent of fireworks (i.e., the spinner effect) it seemed like the perfect choice for this blueberry pie. Since I was already pushing myself to make a homemade pie crust, why choose a common pie crust top, why not make it just a little harder on myself? 

But before getting to 'the crust', let me tell you about this six cups of fresh blueberries filling. With hints of cinnamon and lemon, this fruit filling is one that doesn't run all over the place when the pie is sliced. Nothing against runny fillings mind you, but there comes a point in ones' life when licking the plate in the presence of others is no longer socially acceptable.

There is just enough flour (1/3 cup) in the filling to help thicken it. One cup of the blueberries, the flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest, cinnamon, and lemon juice are mashed together with a potato masher or fork until thoroughly combined to form the paste that works as a binder. When mixed together with the remaining five cups of fresh blueberries, it creates an almost perfect non-runny, absolutely delicious pie filling.

Now back to the crust. This pie dough is made with both cold unsalted butter and frozen vegetable shortening. I know there are butter only dough making purists out there, but vegetable shortening really does help to create a flaky pie crust (and flaky it was). In addition to butter, vegetable shortening, flour, sugar, salt, and cold water, the crust ingredients also includes freshly squeezed lemon juice. Water added to flour causes the gluten in the flour to start forming (great for bread, not so great for flakey pie crusts) so the acid from the lemon juice helps to relax the dough, slowing down the formation of gluten. The acidity of the lemon juice further contributes to the flakiness of the crust without causing the crust to taste 'lemony'. Some pie makers use vinegar, some use lemon juice when making pie dough. As a 'novice' pie dough maker I am not yet able to weigh in on the merits of one over the other, I can only attest to the fact that the lemon juice worked!

This is a dough made in a food processor (no kneading necessary), shaped and wrapped into two disks, and chilled for at least two hours before it can be rolled out. I was first amazed by this dough's great texture for rolling (in my world this means the dough was smooth and didn't crack). Even more amazing was its' flavor both in raw and baked forms.

Half of the dough is used for the pie shell ,the other half for the pinwheel crust. To make the pinwheel strips, the dough is rolled out into a rectangular form and then cut in half inch strips using a pastry cutter or knife. The strips are then formed into spirals.

If there was at least one thing I would do differently the next time I make a pinwheel crust it would be to chill the cut strips in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before creating and placing the spirals on top of the pie. This very slight chilling might make it a bit easier to make the spirals. I was still pretty happy with the 'rustic' look to the finished pie (as compared to the 'perfect' look of Martha's inspiration pie). My pie 'forming' abilities are a work in progress.

Before placing the pie in a preheated oven (more on that to follow), the dough is brushed with an egg wash and then sprinkled with coarse sugar (either turbinado or white sanding sugar). I choose to make an egg wash made with one egg and one tablespoon of heavy cream (it could also be made with one egg and one tablespoon of water).

The oven is preheated to 425 degrees and reduced to 375 degrees when the pie is placed in the oven. After the pie bakes for 30 minutes (the edges of the pie should be pale golden), the edges of the pie are covered with foil to prevent burning. The pie then continues to bake for another 50 to 60 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the top crust is golden-brown. The total baking time for this blueberry pie is 80 to 90 minutes.  My baking time was 85 minutes.

The smell of the pie baking in the oven is intoxicating. Having to wait for the baked pie needs to cool to room temperature before serving (about three hours) is a definitely a lesson in patience. While best on the day it is made, the pie can be made up to one day ahead and kept covered at room temperature. Leftovers, if you have them, can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

If you too have suffered from a bit of pie making paralysis like I did, this blueberry pie might be what helps you work through it. Pies with a homemade crust really do taste better. Don't let anyone (or yourself) convince you otherwise. 

Forgive me for all of the photos of the pie. Believe it or not I showed actually picture posting restraint. And oh, the backdrop for these photos was a vintage linen 48 star flag. 

Recipe 
Blueberry Pie (adapted from Fine Cooking) 

Ingredients
Pie Dough
12 ounces (2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
6 ounces (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 ounces (4 Tablespoons) frozen vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces
5-6 Tablespoons ice cold water
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Filling
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Zest from one lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
pinch of Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
6 cups fresh (not frozen) blueberries

Egg wash: 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream (or 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon water)
2 Tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or white sanding sugar) for sprinkling on top of pie

Directions
Dough
1. Place sugar, flour and salt in food processor. Pulse briefly to combine.
2. Add butter and shortening, pulse until pieces are slightly larger than pea size (10-12 pulses).
3. Drizzle water and lemon juice evenly over flour mixture. Pulse until dough just comes together (10-14 pulses). Note: If dough isn't coming together, add more ice cold water, a scant tablespoon at a time).
4. Divide dough in half, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. 

Filling
1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Add 1 cup fresh blueberries. Crush into dry ingredients with a potato masher or fork to make a paste (it will be a loose paste).
2. Add the rest of the blueberries, tossing to completely coat them.

Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 14 inch circle (about 1/8 inch in thickness).
3. Carefully roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll gently over a 9 inch glass pie plate (the dough should just hang over the edges).
4. Roll the overhand onto the rim of the pie plate, to form a high edge of crust. Using your fingers, crimp dough to a fluted edge. Place in refrigerator while rolling out second disk of dough.
5. Roll second dough disk to an 8 by 12 rectangle on a floured surface.
6. Cut rolled out dough into 1/2 inch wide strips using a pastry cutter or knife. Gently transfer strips to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for about 10 minutes.
7. Add filling to pie shell.
8. Gently lift one strip for each end, twisting in opposite directions to twirl.
9. Starting at center of pie, place dough over filling in a spiral, connecting new strips as you go (connect by pinching the together).
10. Brush dough with egg wash and then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and place pie in oven (Suggestion: Place pie on a foil lined baking sheet, just in case you get any spillage.)
12. Bake pie for 30 minutes (edges will be lightly golden). Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil and continue baking for 50-60 minutes (filling will be bubbling and top of crust will be golden brown). Total baking time: 80-90 minutes.
13. Remove baked pie from oven, place on cooling rack. Allow to come to room temperature (about 3 hours) before serving.
14. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to several days.

Wishing you a happy, filled with fireworks and blueberry pie, Fourth of July! Or at least one filled with some blueberries (the Blueberry Crisp is pretty delicious if you are too busy to make a pie).

I will see you all 'virtually' when I return from my trip to Montana. I can hardly wait to celebrate both my nephew's 21st birthday (a little early) and my first western Independence Day!