Lemon Meringue Tarts In Phyllo Cups Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the flour, 3 tablespoons of the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Put the flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and shortening and pulse about 10 times until the butter is in small bits. Add the ice water and process until the dough comes together. Dump on a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Roll out the dough and fit into a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Don't stretch the dough when placing it in the pan or it will shrink during baking. Cut off the excess by rolling the pin across the top of the pan. Line the tart shell with a piece of buttered aluminum foil, butter side down, and fill it with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and foil and prick the bottom of the shell all over with a fork to allow the steam to escape. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
• Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• For the meringue, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until frothy. With the mixer still running, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the meringue is thick and shiny, about 2 minutes.
• Immediately spread the lemon filling in the cooled tart shell and pipe the meringue over it with a large star tip. Be sure the meringue covers the entire top and touches the edges of the shell, to prevent it from shrinking. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Cool to room temperature.
• Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 1 minute. On low speed, add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Don't worry; it will look curdled.
• Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until thick, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Don't allow it to boil! It will be 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the pastry: Roll the pastry to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 6 (6-inch) rounds. Place the pastry in 6 (4-inch) tart molds. With a knife trim the excess pastry. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Line each tart shell with a piece of parchment paper and fill to the rim with pie weights.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the pie weights and parchment from the tart shells and bake for 10 minutes.
• For the filling: Whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract.
• Pour the lemon mixture into a medium pot. Place over medium heat and stir with a spatula for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour the lemon mixture onto a baking sheet and cool completely.
• Spoon the cooled lemon mixture or curd into the baked tart shells.
• For the meringue: Beat the egg whites with the vanilla extract and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Continue beating while adding the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. The finished meringue should have stiff glossy peaks. Mound the meringue on top of the tarts.
• Make sure there is a good seal between the meringue and the edge of the crust. Bake the tarts in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the meringue is golden. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the molds.
• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter and shortening into the flour. Combine the mixture with your fingers until it resembles cornmeal. Add the ice cold water and mix with a spoon, pulling the water into the flour until a dough forms.
• With your hands, shape the dough into 2 balls and flatten them into disks. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Spoon about 1 teaspoon lemon curd into the bottom of each phyllo shell; top with whipped topping. Sprinkle a light dusting of cinnamon over the top.

Steps:

• For curd: Whip eggs and sugar until very light and fluffy with a whip attachment.
• Gradually mix in lemon juice and rind. Place over boiling water and cook, whisking until extremely thick, about 5 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Pour into a container, cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight to stiffen.
• For tart dough:
• Lay one sheet of phyllo on work surface. Brush with clarified butter and sprinkle with sugar.
• Repeat the process with the second and third sheets. Cut into 3-inch squares.
• Lay 18 tartlet molds upside down on a sheet pan. Lay 1 square of phyllo over each pan, then place a second one on top of phyllo to help form tartlet shells. The square corners will spread out flat on the sheet pan.
• Bake in this upside down position weighted down with another sheet pan at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown.
• Let phyllo cool slightly, but while still warm remove from molds. Cool completely then fill with lemon curd by piping with a plain tip.
• For meringue:
• Whip egg whites until stiff but not dry then add the brown sugar gradually and continue whipping until stiff.
• Pipe onto lemon curd with a star tip and brown with a blow torch or under the broiler.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place phyllo shells on a baking sheet and brush with egg white. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack.
• Spoon or pipe lemon curd into shells. Serve, decorated with blueberries and fresh mint leaves.

Steps:

• For Custard:
• Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cold water and lemon juice. Whisk until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Whisk in egg and lemon peel. Add butter. Whisk over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring. Transfer custard to bowl. Press plastic onto surface of custard and cool to room temperature.
• For Phyllo Cups:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray eight 1/3-cup muffin cups with vegetable oil spray. Stack 4 phyllo sheets into six 4-inch squares, forming total of 24 squares. Press 1 phyllo square into each cup (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp towel). Using pastry brush, dab phyllo in a few places with melted butter. Press another phyllo square atop first phyllo square, with corners at different angles. Sprinkle phyllo cups with sugar.
• Bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool cups from muffin tin. (Custard and phyllo cups can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate custard. Store phyllo cups in airtight containers.)
• Spoon some of custard into each of 4 cups (save remaining custard and cups for another use). Sift powdered sugar over edges of phyllo. Garnish with mint sprigs. Arrange on plates.