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French Lemon Cream Tart

Sliced French lemon cream tart on a cake board.
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5 from 10 reviews

French lemon cream tart is a sophisticated and elegant lemon dessert. It is made with a coconut dacquoise base and a tangy lemon cream beautifully balanced with Italian meringue. 

Ingredients

Scale

For the lemon cream:

  • 1 1/2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (75 g) fresh lemon juice
  • 3 lemons, finely-grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 gelatin sheet, 200 bloom
  • 3.2 oz. (90 g) unsalted butter, softened

For coconut dacquoise:

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (100 g) caster sugar
  • 1.6 oz. (45 g) shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (60 g) almond flour

For Italian meringue:

  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 7 teaspoons (35 g) water
  • 1/2 cup + 1/2 tablespoon (120 g) granulated sugar

For decoration:

  • 1/2 lime, zest

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Instructions

  1. To make the lemon cream, get fresh lemon juice by using a citrus juicer. Soak half of the gelatin sheet in cold water for 10 minutes.
  2. Pour fresh lemon juice, add sugar, drained gelatin, lemon zest (from 3 lemons), and eggs in a small saucepan and mix. Heat the mixture over medium heat to 185°F (85°C), constantly stirring. Pass the preparation through a fine-mesh sieve to get the zests.
  3. Cover it with plastic film in contact and let it cool. When the preparation is about 113°F (45°C), add the softened butter little by little and mix with a rubber spatula. Cover the cream with plastic in contact and refrigerate overnight.
  4. To make coconut dacquoise, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter an 8-inch (20 cm) cake ring and place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix almond flour and coconut and set aside.
  5. Using a stand mixer or an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Gradually add caster sugar to get a glossy meringue. Using the spatula, gently incorporate the dry mixture in two batches.
  6. Transfer the preparation to a pastry bag with Ateco plain pastry tip 809 or a cut tip and push a spiral into the cake ring. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
  7. To make Italian meringue, whisk egg whites with a stand or electric mixer until they are foamy. Heat sugar with water to 250°F (121°C), checking it with a cooking thermometer. Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites, constantly whisking. Beat the meringue until it is cooled down.
  8. To assemble the tart, place coconut dacquoise on a serving platter or a cake board. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with Ateco plain pastry tip 809.
  9. Pipe large balls on the dacquoise in a circular pattern, skipping a "spot" that will be filled with the cream. Using a hand-held blow torch, brown the meringue until slightly brown.
  10. Place lemon cream in a pastry bag fitted with Ateco plain pastry tip 809 and pipe large drops between the piped meringue balls. Using a zester grater, zest the lime over the tart. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Notes

  1. Make sure to use pasteurized egg whites if you are concerned about raw eggs.
  2. Pipe the meringue and lemon cream in staggered rows or any pattern you prefer.
  3. Decorate the tart with slices of candied lemon if desired.
  4. To make this lemon cream tart without meringue, double the cream and pipe it over the tart. Decorate it with small store-bought meringues and lime zest.
  5. Make-ahead option: Prepare the lemon cream and bake a coconut dacquoise one day in advance. Keep the tart's base in an airtight container overnight. The next day, assemble the tart and serve.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/lemon-tart-by-christophe-michalak/