French Lemon Meringue Tart (Tarte au Citron Meringuée)

Quick Summary: French lemon meringue tart (tarte au citron meringuée) is a crisp, sweet pastry crust layered with lemon confit, candied lemon slices, and lemon cream, then topped with torched Italian meringue. It is adapted from pastry chef Philippe Conticini and is bright, tangy, and best served chilled.

What is French lemon meringue tart?

French lemon meringue tart, or tarte au citron meringuée, is a classic French dessert made of a crisp sweet pastry shell filled with a tangy lemon filling and topped with a cloud of meringue.

This version layers three lemon elements, lemon confit, candied lemon slices, and a rich lemon cream, then finishes the tart with torched Italian meringue for a light, marshmallow-like top.

It is adapted from a recipe by French pastry chef Philippe Conticini. Italian meringue is made by whisking hot sugar syrup into egg whites, which makes it stable, glossy, and safe to eat without further baking, unlike a French meringue.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Layers of lemon: lemon confit, candied slices, and lemon cream give the tart deep, bright citrus flavor in every bite.
• Light Italian meringue: the torched meringue is stable, glossy, and marshmallow-soft, and it is safe to eat without baking.
• Make-ahead-friendly: you can prepare the crust and fillings in advance, then assemble the tart shortly before serving.
• A patisserie recipe at home: it is adapted from French pastry chef Philippe Conticini, so you get a bakery-style result in your own kitchen.
• Balanced sweet and tangy: the sharp lemon and lime balance the sweet meringue and crust so the tart never feels too sugary.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Butter: for a rich, crumbly sugar dough and a smooth lemon cream.

• Almond flour: adds a light nuttiness and tender crumb to the pastry.

• Icing sugar: for a fine, even sweetness in the dough.

• All-purpose flour: the main structure of the tart shell.

• Sugar: sweetens the candied slices, lemon cream, and Italian meringue.

• Eggs: bind the dough and enrich the lemon cream.

• Egg whites: whipped with hot sugar syrup for a stable Italian meringue.

• Lemons: used for juice, zest, thin slices, and peel, the heart of the tart.

• Limes: add a green, aromatic note to the cream and meringue.

• Lemon peel: cooked into a bright, concentrated lemon confit.

• Gelatin: sets the lemon cream so it holds a clean slice.

• Vanilla: warms the candied lemon slices.

• Cinnamon: adds a subtle spice to the candied slices.

• Salt: balances the sweetness in the pastry.

Equipment

Here are the main tools you will need to make this French lemon meringue tart:

• tart ring to shape and blind-bake a clean, straight-sided tart shell.
• stand mixer to cream the butter and whisk the Italian meringue.
• parchment paper to roll out the dough and line the shell for blind baking.
• cooking thermometer: to heat the sugar syrup to 250°F (121°C) for the Italian meringue.
• kitchen torch: to brown and set the meringue on top of the tart.

How to make French lemon meringue tart

Step 1. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). To make the sugar dough, take the butter out of the fridge 1.5-2 hours in advance. Place the butter in a bowl of the stand mixer and beat it at slow speed. Add the icing sugar and whisk until you get a creamy texture (photo 1).

Step 2. Add the citrus zest, then the almond powder, and whisk again. Then incorporate the egg (photo 2).

Step 3. Then add the previously sifted and mixed flour and salt. From the moment you incorporate the flour, the mixture must be whisked twice, very quickly (photo 3).

Step 4. Form a "flat ball" from the dough and cover with a food film (photo 4).

Step 5. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 5. Next, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic sheets to a thickness of 2-3 mm. Butter and flour a 7-inch (18 cm) tart ring. Spread the dough over the ring: make a circle 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter (use the tart ring), then cut long strips with a width that is equal to the height of the ring (photos 5-6).

Step 6. Place the dough circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to form the bottom of the tart crust. Then arrange long strips of dough along the ring's border. Pick the dough all over with a fork (photo 7).

Step 7. Place a sheet of wax paper on the surface with beans, lentils, or rice (photo 8).

Step 8. Bake the tart crust at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes.

Step 9. To make candied lemon slices, place the fine slices of the lemon in a pan and rinse them 3 times with clean water each time (photo 9).

Step 10. Cook them in a pan with the other ingredients for about 15 minutes. The slices must be melting but keeping their shape (photo 10). Don't hesitate to cook a little bit more if you need to.

Step 11. To make the lemon confit, wash the lemons and then, using a peeler, peel the lemons, leaving as little white as possible, which is a source of excessive bitterness. Place them in a pan with cold water, then bring it all to a boil (photo 11).

Step 12. Empty the pan by passing the lemon peels through a sieve, then repeat the operation two more times. Cook these lemon peels with the lemon juice and sugar, stirring for 40-50 minutes (photo 12).

Step 13. Once a few tablespoons of juice remain in the pan, mix it in a robot while it is still hot (photo 13).

Step 14. To make the lemon cream, melt the butter in a pan. Then add the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and lime zest, stirring constantly (photo 14).

Step 15. Bring this mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the fire when the first bubble forms. Whip a bit more while adding the gelatin soaked in the cold water. Cover the cream with a food film in contact with the cream. Let it rest until the lemon cream begins to thicken (photo 15).

Step 16. To make the lime meringue, whisk the egg whites till they are foamy. At the same time, heat the sugar with water to 250°F (121°C). Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites and continue whisking. Add the lime zest while the meringue is still hot (for infusion), then whisk until the meringue has cooled (photo 16).

Step 17. To assemble the tart, spread the lemon confit at the bottom of the tart crust with a spoon (photo 17).

Step 18. Place the candied lemon slices on top of the confit (photo 18).

Step 19. Fill the tart crust with the tempered lemon cream up to the edges, and spread it with a stainless steel spatula (photo 19). Place the tart in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Step 20. Decorate the lemon tart with the Italian meringue and burn it with a blowtorch (photo 20).

Expert tips

• Chill the dough well: refrigerate the sugar dough for at least 3 to 4 hours, ideally overnight, so it rolls out cleanly and holds its shape while baking.
• Blind-bake fully: line the shell with paper and baking beans so the crust bakes flat and crisp before you add the fillings.
• Watch the meringue syrup: heat the sugar syrup to exactly 250°F (121°C) before whisking it into the egg whites, which gives a stable, glossy Italian meringue.
• Whisk the meringue until cool: keep whisking until the meringue reaches room temperature, so it holds its shape and does not weep on the tart.
• Assemble close to serving: torch the meringue and finish the tart shortly before serving for the crispest crust and cleanest layers.

Recipe variations

• Lemon only: skip the limes and use only lemon juice and zest for a rounder, less-sharp citrus flavor.
• Lime tart: swap the lemons for limes throughout for a greener, more tropical version.
• Torched vs. piped: pipe the Italian meringue into peaks and torch them, or spread it smooth and torch lightly for a cleaner look.
• Individual tartlets: divide the dough and fillings among small tart rings for single-serving tartlets.
• Simpler lemon tart: for a quicker version, try the French lemon cream tart without the meringue and confit steps.

Storing & freezing

Store the French lemon meringue tart in the fridge, loosely covered, for up to 3 days. The Italian meringue holds up well, but the tart is best within a day or two of assembling for the crispest crust.

You can prepare the parts ahead: the baked crust, lemon confit, candied slices, and lemon cream all keep in the fridge for a few days, so you can assemble and torch the meringue just before serving. Freezing the finished tart is not recommended, as the meringue and cream lose their texture once thawed.

Recipe FAQ

What is a French lemon meringue tart?
It is a French dessert (tarte au citron meringuée) with a crisp sweet pastry shell, a tangy lemon filling, and a topping of meringue. This version layers lemon confit, candied lemon slices, and lemon cream, then finishes with torched Italian meringue.

What is the difference between French and Italian meringue?
French meringue is raw egg whites whipped with sugar and usually baked. Italian meringue is made by whisking hot sugar syrup into the whites, which cooks them, so it is stable and safe to eat without baking. This tart uses Italian meringue.

Is the Italian meringue on this tart safe to eat?
Yes. The hot sugar syrup, heated to 250°F (121°C) and whisked into the egg whites, cooks the whites, so the meringue is safe to eat without further baking.

Can I make lemon meringue tart ahead of time?
Yes. Make the crust, confit, candied slices, and lemon cream in advance and keep them in the fridge. Assemble the tart and torch the meringue shortly before serving for the best texture.

Why is my meringue weeping or watery?
Meringue usually weeps when the sugar is not fully dissolved, or the tart sits in the fridge too long. Whisk the Italian meringue until it is fully cooled and glossy, and serve the tart within a day or two.

How many calories are in French lemon meringue tart?
One slice has about 687 calories, based on 8 slices per tart. The exact number depends on your ingredients and slice size.

Love tarts? Try these next!

If you enjoyed this lemon meringue tart, try more French tarts from the blog:

• French Lemon Cream Tart
• French Plum Frangipane Tart
• French Chocolate Tart
• Pink Praline Tart
• Browse all the tart recipes

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from Philippe Conticini's Facebook page.