Meringue lemon pie

Discover the history of meringue lemon pie.

1. Sablé dough

   • 230 gr. all purpose flour
   • 150 gr. butter
   • 90 gr. powdered sugar
   • 50 gr. ground almond
   • 50 gr. egg (1)
   • 2 gr. salt

   • In the bowl of a mixer, place the flour, ground almond, salt, powdered sugar, and cold butter cut into small cubes.
   • Mix at medium-low speed just until all the ingredients are combined and no butter pieces remain. The texture should be crumbly, similar to crushed biscuits.
   • Then, add the egg and mix just until it is incorporated.
   • On a sheet of baking paper, place the dough and cover it with another sheet of paper.
   • Next, using a rolling pin, roll the dough between the two sheets until it reaches a thickness of about 3 mm.
   • Then, place the dough in the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden, making it easier to work with.
   • Take the dough out of the freezer, remove the baking paper, and cut a circle of about 33 cm. Grease a 28 cm diameter tin with butter and carefully place the dough inside, pressing it gently and trimming the excess.
   • Finally, place a sheet of baking paper inside the tart and fill it with baking weights (beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.) to prevent the dough from puffing up during baking.
   • Bake for 20 minutes with the weights, then another 15 minutes without the weights at 180º C.
   • Let it cool at room temperature and set it aside.

2. Praline crunch

   • 150 gr. raw hazelnuts
   • 50 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 50 gr. chopped toasted hazelnuts

   • Spread the raw hazelnuts evenly on a baking tray and roast at 150º C for 15 minutes.
   • Once toasted, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.
   • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat until it turns into a deep amber caramel.
   • Next, turn off the heat and pour the caramel onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and let it crystallise completely.
   • When both preparations have cooled, break the caramel into pieces and place it in a food processor along with the hazelnuts.
   • Process for a few minutes until you get a thick, smooth paste. Process until the mixture becomes liquid, smooth, and shiny.
   • Add the chopped toasted hazelnuts and set aside at room temperature until needed.

3. Lemon cream

   • 270 gr. fresh lemon juice
   • 250 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 200 gr. eggs (4)
   • 150 gr. butter
   • 5 gr. gelatine

   • First, place the gelatine in a glass of cold water to hydrate for at least 10 minutes.
   • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
   • Next, add the lemon juice, sugar, and eggs, and without stopping whisking, cook until the mixture thickens, reaching about 84º C.
   • Remove from heat, add the gelatine, and blend the mixture with a hand whisk.
   • Let it cool to room temperature and set it aside.

4. Mojito gel

   • 120 gr. fresh lime juice (4)
   • 80 gr. filtered water
   • 80 gr. brown or cane sugar
   • 60 gr. fresh lemon juice (1)
   • 30 gr. rum
   • 6 gr. agar-agar

   • In a saucepan, mix the strained lemon and lime juice, water, and heat until boiling.
   • Meanwhile, in a cup, mix the sugar with the agar agar.
   • It is important to mix the agar agar very well with the sugar to prevent lumps when added to the liquid.
   • When the liquid mixture reaches boiling point, add the agar agar with the sugar and mix well with a whisk. Cook for a couple of minutes.
   • Then, turn off the heat, add the rum, and let it cool to room temperature.
   • Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 6 hours until ready to use.

5. Italian meringue

   • 165 gr. vanilla or white sugar
   • 110 gr. egg whites (3)
   • 50 gr. water

   • In a saucepan, mix the water and sugar and heat over medium heat until the mixture reaches 118º C.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, begin beating the egg whites at medium speed until frothy.
   • When the syrup reaches the temperature, turn off the heat and add it to the egg whites in a thin stream while continuing to beat.
   • Then, increase the beating speed to high until firm peaks form, about 5 minutes.
   • Set aside and start assembling.

6. Assembly

   • With the cooled sablé pastry, pour the praline crunch inside and spread it with a spatula.
   • Next, carefully pour the lemon cream over the praline and spread it evenly across the surface.
   • Now, refrigerate to allow the lemon cream to set and the tart to firm up, for at least 1 hour.
   • After the time has passed, take the tart out of the fridge, place the Italian meringue in a piping bag with a petal tip, and begin piping petals from the outside of the tart towards the centre, leaving a 6 cm diameter circle in the middle.
   • Then, preheat the oven to 180º C with the grill function on top only and bake for a few seconds until the meringue is browned to your liking.
   • It's important to watch the oven closely while browning the meringue, as it can brown in just a few seconds. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen torch for a similar effect, although it won’t be as evenly toasted.
   • Finally, take the mojito gel out of the fridge, blend it with a hand whisk, place it in a piping bag with a 2 mm tip, and fill the centre of the tart. You can also pipe small dots on the meringue petals.
   • When you take the gel out of the fridge, it will have a firm, block-like consistency. Blending it with a hand whisk will give it a firm gel texture that can be lightened with a little water if necessary.
   • Keep in the fridge until serving and let it come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

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