Making a French Tart in Sydney with a Danish Chef!
I recently attended a ‘Short Course’ in French pastry at the Le Cordon Bleu School in Sydney, Australia. One of the first dishes we made was a Lemon Meringue Tart, or Tarte au citron meringue, taught by Danish Chef Knudsen. This was truly an international affair, with students attending from Iceland, Indonesia, India, and Brasil.
One of the things I like about tarts is that you only need to make the bottom crust- no top crust required! And being a sweet French pastry dough (pate sucrée), a bit of sugar is required, which gives the pastry a nice crunch! The lemon cream filling is made with egg yolks, cream, and sugar and is as smooth as silk.
This tart is made using an open 8-inch pastry ring (no bottom) rather than a pie or quiche pan. Tart rings have small perforations on the sides which allow steam to escape, making the crust nice and crisp.
So Let’s Get Started!
Roll out the dough so it leaves a 1.5-inch margin around the outside of the ring; dough should be a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Carefully place the dough on top of the pastry ring leaving an overhang.
To trim the dough, roll the rolling pin over the ring, pulling the dough away.
Place ring on top leaving 2 inch margin 
Transfer dough on top o ring and roll pin over to trim dough
Prick the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork; this helps to prevent the dough from puffing up during baking. Bake the crust for about 15-20 minutes at 360 F. until light golden; let cool.
Prepare the lemon cream filling by combining hot cream, eggs, sugar, and lemon juice (see recipe below). Pour the lemon cream into the cooled tart crust and bake at a low heat (240 F.) for 30 minutes, or until lemon cream sets.
Prick dough with fork tines 
Bake and then fill with lemon cream
Decorating the Tart
Now the fun part starts. Pipe the meringue in large ‘balls’ around the outer edge of the tart.
Continue piping until the tart is completely filled in.
Brown the surface of the meringue using a blow torch; decorate with a little edible gold if desired.
For the sweet pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar, and pinch salt in a bowl, then rub in the cubed butter using your hands until the mixture resembles large peas. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the eggs. Work with a spoon or your fingers until the dough comes together in a ball. Flatten into a disc shape, cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. Roll out dough in a circle until it measures a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Place the 8-inch pastry ring on top of the dough and trim, leaving a 1.5 inch margin around the ring. Carefully place the dough on top of the ring leaving an overhang. Let gravity settle the dough down into the ring and carefully press the dough downward. Roll a rolling pin over the dough to trim the dough. Dock the dough with the tines of a fork. Place both tarts on baking paper-lined tray and bake at 360 F. for 15-20 minutes until the crust turns golden brown. Let cool while preparing the lemon cream. For the Lemon Cream: Warm the cream but do not boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture lightens in color. Whisk in the cream, then add the lemon juice. Strain the mixture then skim off any foam then add the zest. Pour mixture into blind-baked tartlets and bake at 240 F for 30 minutes, or until set (use a conventional (non fan-forced oven). Let cool. For the Meringue: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe the meringue onto the cooled lemon tart going in concentric circles. Brown the surface of gthe meringue with a blow torch- careful not to burn the meringue. Halve the recipe if you want to make just one tart.Lemon Meringue Tart
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Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
9 Comments
Angie@Angie's Recipes
May 11, 2023 at 8:18 pmwow that looks absolutely gorgeous and so tempting!
David @ Spiced
May 16, 2023 at 4:49 amWhat a gorgeous dessert! I learned how to make a similar tart years ago, but I totally forgot about it. I can’t wait to try this one!
Raymund
May 23, 2023 at 4:30 pmAgree that looks amazing
Jeff the Chef
May 24, 2023 at 6:02 amThis is cool. So, you don’t use a bottom with the tart ring … so I’m guessing the crust eventually finds its way onto a cookie sheet? Or do you form it on a cookie sheet in the first place? Can you sort of pull the tart gently though the ring from the bottom? Or do you need to place it on the ring from above? I love piping work; it’s gorgeous.
Fran Flint
May 25, 2023 at 8:05 amThanks Jeff for the comment. After placing the dough on top of the ring and trimming it, you transfer the dough/ring onto a parchment-lined baking tray, and then blind bake it for 15-20 minutes. You then pour the lemon cream into the ring mold and bake again, then lift the ring off the pastry when fully baked. The ring lifts of easily.
David Scott Allen
May 26, 2023 at 6:15 amThis looks stunning! I need to get myself a tart ring — the Coronation Quiche called for one and I had to use a – *gasp* – pie plate. Thanks for the beautiful tutorial!
lisaiscooking
June 21, 2023 at 11:20 amIt’s so pretty! And, I love lemon. Sounds like a fun course.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
June 26, 2023 at 1:32 pmThat had to be a fun and delicious class. It is nice when you can learn the tricks of the trade. When you mentioned thickened cream, would that be the same as our heavy cream in the U.S.?
Fran Flint
June 26, 2023 at 5:06 pmNice to hear from you again, Karen! Yes, ‘thickened cream’ is the same as heavy cream or ‘whipping cream’ in the US (not half and half).