Swiss Meringue Lemon Tart
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A tart with a zesty lemon filling finished with a toasted Swiss meringue. Uses unsalted butter, whole eggs, and fresh lemon juice simmered to thicken. Swiss meringue made by gently warming egg whites and sugar before whipping to stiff peaks. Baked in a pre-blind baked shortcrust shell. A hint of ginger swaps in sugar for an earthy twist. Timing guided by texture and aroma rather than clock. Ideal for those who favor a balance of tart acidity and sweet toasted meringue with a buttery crumb base.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#French dessert
#meringue
#lemon
#baking tips
#pastry
Switched up the usual lemon tart by swapping sugar to ginger in the filling for a surprising warmth. Started with cold beaten eggs whisked into hot citrus and butter — tricky because if not gradual, ends up scrambled bits instead of silky. Thickens to almost pudding level; must look for coating that clings. Chilled fully before Swiss meringue to keep layers distinct. Meringue isn’t just fluff; low-temp sugar dissolution critical before whipping or it’ll collapse in oven. Broil method: Watch, don’t clock. Key is visual brown patches, not charred black. Bought a little kitchen torch last time; saved me a burnt batch. Crust preblind baked with pie weights to avoid soggy bottom, which I learned the hard way. Texture contrast needed for that bite — crisp base, tart cream, toasted airy meringue.
Ingredients
Lemon Filling
- 150 ml fresh lemon juice roughly 2 large lemons
- 100 ml unsalted butter chopped
- 3 whole eggs
- 120 ml granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root
Crust
- 1 23 cm tart shell baked blind (shortcrust or sweet dough)
Swiss Meringue
- 100 ml granulated sugar
- 4 egg whites
About the ingredients
Reduced lemon juice volume slightly to avoid too runny filling. Ginger substitution for half the sugar adds complexity not overpowering. Butter amount lessened to maintain balance with fresh acids. More egg whites to increase meringue stability since the added moisture from filling can weigh it down. Use fresh lemons — zest oils can vary so testing helps adjust sourness. Shortcrust or sweet dough, depends on palate preference but must be blind baked fully to avoid soggy bottom and waterlogged crust. Sugar type critical for meringue — fine granulated dissolves better, coarse risks graininess. Using metal bowls keeps temp consistent during heating. Fresh eggs for meringue but a day or two old won’t harm whipping once warmed properly. Chilling times flexible if monitored by feel and look rather than strict minutes.
Method
Prepare Filling
- 1. Set oven rack lower third; preheat to 175 C (347 F).
- 2. In a small saucepan, bring lemon juice, butter, and grated ginger just to a simmer. Aroma sharp but warm. Remove promptly.
- 3. In a clean bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt until combined but not foamy.
- 4. Gradually add warm lemon mixture to eggs, whisking continuously to avoid scrambling.
- 5. Return entire mixture to saucepan. Heat over medium, whisking constantly. Look for jiggle thickening, not full boil—around 11–12 minutes. Remove at first foamy bubble formation. Texture should coat spoon with a thick veil, almost pudding-like.
- 6. Strain through fine mesh to remove cooked bits and zest. Pour into baked crust cradle. Slide into oven to bake 14 minutes or until filling edges set but center still slightly wobbly. Slight sinking indicates doneness within distinction. Let cool for 30 minutes at room temp then chill 90 minutes minimum; cold filling holds meringue better.
Swiss Meringue
- 7. Set up double boiler or bain-marie. Combine egg whites and sugar in heatproof bowl over simmering water—not boiling. Constant stir to dissolve sugar fully. Test with fingers—no grit means ready. Target temp 60–65 C (140–149 F).
- 8. Immediately remove bowl. Use electric mixer to whisk whites on medium-high. Watch transformation from shiny gloss to stable peaks. Should be cool to touch before use, around 5–7 minutes of whipping. Important: hot meringue deflates easily if rushed to oven.
Assemble and Torch
- 9. Heat oven broiler to high. Spread meringue thick over chilled lemon layer, sealing edges to prevent shrinking. Look for soft pillowy height, soft peaks, no gaps.
- 10. Broil 1–3 minutes, carefully watching amber spots develop. Brown but not burnt—smoke means too far. Alternate broiler power among ovens; some hotter than others. If worried, use kitchen torch to brown evenly.
- 11. Consume day made for crisp meringue and fresh zing. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days; crust may soften.
Tips & Tricks
- Avoid undercooking filling or it’ll be soupy at slicing. Use fresh lemons; bottled juice lacks bite. Ginger adds unexpected warmth offsetting sweetness. If egg white volume drops, dry bowl or whisk likely culprit. Meringue too runny? Sugar not dissolved fully. Use metal or glass bowls for meringue (no plastic). Blind bake crust with pie weights to prevent sogginess under filling. Allow entire tart to cool fully before meringue.
- If no bain-marie, microwave sugar+whites in bursts whisking between, watching temperature carefully. Don’t rush stirring or fluffing; this is where failed meringues happen most.
- Older eggs whites sometimes fluff better but can dry out faster under heat. Freshness balanced with technique.
- Remember smells—lemon steam sharp but buttery richness melds, meringue sweet egg aroma toasted wood smokes notes alarms if burning. Visuals more than timers; listen to quiet cues.
Cooking tips
Start with heating lemon juice and butter with ginger, removing right as it begins simmering to preserve flavors and prevent butter separation. Incorporate carefully into eggs and sugar; whisk during entire heating process to prevent scrambling. Strain to remove unexpected cooked bits; batteries tested. Bake filling just till set edges and slightly wobbly middle to retain creaminess. Chill before meringue — cold stops layers mixing. Create Swiss meringue by heating whites and sugar over hot water, stirring well until no sugar crust remains. Whip off heat until cool and stiff peaks form, ensuring a glossy surface that holds shape. Spread quickly and cover edges to avoid leaks. Broiler step crucial — watch for amber ambering, less is more. For uneven browning, use kitchen torch gently to fill in. Remember timing is approximate, sensory cues always rule. Store chilled or eat fresh the day of; meringue softens with time. Practice shows err on side of underbaked filling rather than overlumpy. Older eggs whites sometimes produce better volume but keep dry bowls and utensils.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat lemon juice, butter, and ginger just to simmer; remove immediately or butter breaks down. Ginger adds warmth but too much bites hard. Constant whisk when adding lemon mix to eggs prevents scrambling; gradual pour saves texture.
- 💡 Strain cooked filling through fine mesh to catch clumps and zest bits. Baking filling until edges set with a slight wobble in middle nails creamy finish. Let cool before chilling; cold filling holds meringue better — no mix or shrink.
- 💡 Swiss meringue needs sugar fully dissolved—gritty means no peaks. Use a double boiler not boiling water or microwave in bursts, stirring between runs. Target 60–65 C temp landing zone; less, meringue falls flat, more risks curdle.
- 💡 Whip whites on medium-high after heating; watch gloss turn to stiff peaks. Cool to touch before spreading. Hot meringue collapses under heat. Spread thick; seal edges tight or meringue shrinks or leaks during broil or torching phase.
- 💡 Broil with steady eye; amber spots, not charcoal black. Smoke signals overdone. Kitchen torch on hand helps fix uneven browning fast. Older egg whites fluff better (dry bowls mandatory). Underbaked filling yields runny tart; filler must jiggle thick, not set hard.
Common questions
How to prevent scrambled lemon filling?
Gradual adding warm lemon mix to eggs while whisking nonstop. Don’t rush. Heat on medium low; watch for thick jiggle, not rapid boil. Strain after cooking helps remove bits.
Best way to make Swiss meringue?
Use double boiler with simmer water. Stir sugar and whites constantly till no grit. If no stove, microwave in short bursts stirring in-between. Target 60–65 C is key. Electric mixer whipping after, peaks must be stable and glossy.
Why is my meringue runny or collapses?
Sugar not dissolved fully or whites too warm. Whip cool meringue only. Bowls or utensils with fat ruin volume. Use metal/glass. Fresh or day-old whites behave differently but technique trumps freshness sometimes.
How to store leftovers?
Keep in fridge sealed 1–2 days max. Meringue softens fast but crust stays crisp longer if blind baked well. Reheat broiler quick touch or torch if top dulls. Filling chilled holds layers distinct but avoid long storage.
