Lemon Meringue Tart with Coconut Shortbread Crust
On my 13th birthday, my mom bought me a carrot cake. I won’t bury the lead: IT DIDN’T GO OVER WELL. This was 1990 and carrot cake just wasn’t as cool as chocolate. Even though I had never even tried a bite of carrot cake before in my life, I threw a puberty-sized hissy fit over it. As a mom of a 13 year old myself, I could cringe at the memory. My parents probably wanted to slap me (but hid it well) and I wound up secretly taking a bite, REALLY liking it, but had to stay on message so I never admitted it publicly. I mean: cream cheese frosting is tough to beat, amiright?
Fast forward 30 years and my palate has certainly expanded. So has my maturity level, thank god. I’ve upgraded from Betty Crocker chocolate cakes, blown right past tiramisu (🤮), indulged heavily in anything involving peanut butter and landed squarely in a world where 🍋 lemon rules all. Pictured here was my 43rd birthday “cake”...my first round draft pick of desserts...man, my 13 year old self did NOT see it coming.
We loved this Lemon Meringue Tart with Coconut Shortbread Crust so much last month that I couldn’t wait for an excuse to make it again. Even if we are celebrating July 4th solo, that just means more leftovers for me.
This one looks way harder than it is. There are way more things in this world to be afraid of right now than making lemon curd or Italian meringue. This gorgeous dessert is perfect for your July 4th BBQ, or your next birthday cake...unless, of course, you’re more of a carrot cake kinda gal 😜
STEP BY STEP PICTURES:
Lemon Meringue Tart with Coconut Shortbread Crust
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks of COLD unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 5 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue)
- 1 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice (from 2 - 3 lemons)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 5 egg whites (use the whites from the eggs in the curd)
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place coconut, flour, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a food processor. Place small cubes of cold butter into the bowl and process just until well combined and a dough-like consistency is formed.
- Coat the tart pan with butter. Press the dough into the tart pan, making sure it's flat and even.
- Place on a sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until its lightly browned.
- Let cool in the refrigerator.
- Separate the yolks from the whites, reserving the whites for the meringue. In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks well and then set aside. Place the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The mixture will be thin and cloudy at first, then eventually begin thickening and bubbling after about 6 minutes. Once thickened, give it a whisk and reduce the heat to low.
- Ladle a few large spoonfuls of warm lemon mixture from the stove into the beaten egg yolks and whisk. In a very slow stream, pour the yolk mixture into the saucepan, whisking continuously. Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the butter.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes and then spread the filling onto the crust. Return to the refrigerator to set as you make the meringue topping.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat over high heat until sugar syrup registers 240°F on an instant read or candy thermometer.
- Meanwhile, combine egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed and mix until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer running, carefully and slowly drizzle in the hot sugar syrup. Increase speed to high and whip until desired stiffness is achieved. You're going for stiff peaks which means: if you tipped the bowl of the stand mixer upside down the meringue wouldn't spill out.
- Spread meringue over the top of the lemon tart. Don't worry about how it looks, I like a messy meringue topping. Sometimes I take the back of a spoon and try to coax it into fun peaks.
- Using a blow torch, lightly torch the tops of the meringue to give it that light brown, toasted color. Alternatively, place the tart in a 450 degree oven for about 5 minutes.
- Serve!