Lemon Eton Mess Tart

Lemon Eton Mess Tart

A cross between a Tart au Citron and Eton Mess, perfect for using up leftover meringues

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 125g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 35g icing sugar
• 60g unsalted butter (very cold, cubed)
• 1 egg yolk
• Dash of water if necessary

Lemon Filling:

• 3 large eggs
• 75ml double cream
• 125g caster sugar
• Zest and juice of 3 lemons

Eton Mess Topping:

• 200g strawberries 
• 50g caster sugar
• 300ml double cream
• A few meringues
• Extra strawberries

Method:

Pastry:

1. In a blender, blitz together the flour, icing sugar and butter until it forms a breadcrumb consistency. You can do this by hand it will just take longer, and you want to avoid the butter melting into the flour! Add the egg yolk and blitz again until it starts to clump. If you need a bit more liquid, add a teaspoon or two of water until the dough comes together and you can form it into a ball.
2. Rest the pastry in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
3. Roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to around 4mm thick.
4. Line a 7 or 8 inch pastry tin with the pastry, and press down gently on the bottom and sides, trimming off any excess pastry.
5. Use a fork to stab a few holes in the bottom and place in the fridge for another 30 minutes. By chilling the pastry before baking it, it reduces how much it will shrink in the oven.
6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190C fan.
7. Once chilled, blind bake the pastry with baking beans for 20 minutes, remove the baking beans, and bake for a further 5 minutes or so until the base is a slight golden brown.
8. Allow the tart case to cool. Meanwhile, reduce the oven down to 170C and make the filling.

1. In a bowl, mix the eggs, double cream, sugar and lemon zest and juice together ensuring it's all fully combined. 
2. Pour into the tart case carefully (it is often easier to place the tart in the oven first and pour it straight into the case to avoid the trouble of transferring a full tart to the oven without spilling!) and bake for around 20 minutes, it should have a slight wobble in the middle still.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully. 

Eton Mess Topping:

1. Place the strawberries in a blender or cut into very small chunks. 
2. Transfer to a saucepan and add the sugar, bring to the boil for just a few minutes then leave to cool fully. 
3. Once it is cool, whip up the double cream and swirl the strawberry coulis throughout. Don't mix it in too much. 
4. Dollop the strawberry cream on to the lemon tart and work it to the edges. 
5. Crush up leftover meringues on top and then top with strawberries! 
6. Best served on the same day - enjoy!