Mini Lemon Meringue Pies

Ingredients

12 frozen sweet tart cases

Lemon Curd Filling

½ cup lemon juice

100g unsalted butter

½ cup caster sugar

1 egg

3 egg yolks

Meringue Topping

3 egg whites

3 tablespoons caster sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

Method

To make lemon curd filling: heat lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan and simmer until butter has melted. Add sugar, egg and yolks and cook, whisking continuously until mixture becomes thick and glossy. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until cooled completely (approx. 30mins - 1hr).

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the tart cases on a baking tray. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown.

Meanwhile, make meringue topping: use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add cream of tartar and sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Continue beating until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.

Spoon the lemon mixture evenly among the tart cases, being careful to not overfill (approx.1 tablespoon per tart). Pipe a swirl of meringue mixture on top of each tart or use the back of a spoon to create peaks.

Place under heated grill for 60-90 seconds until meringue is lightly golden brown or run a kitchen blowtorch over the meringue. Stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold with cream or ice cream.