Lemon Meringue Cookies

With everyone craving Nandos I thought I’d share what’s been on my mind lately. Lemon Meringue Pie.

I have to admit I was in no mood to create a whole pie from scratch even though I’ve been craving it forever!

I recreated it my own way with these lemon meringue cookies. How gorgeous are they?

Each cookie has a lovely smooth lemon curd filling, topped with meringue torched to perfection.

I mean, how gorgeous are they 😍.

So easy to make, and if you weren’t sure what to spoil mom with this Sunday (or everyday actually!) She would definitely love these!

Ingredients
Lemon Curd
Makes about ⅔ cup

3 large egg yolks

⅓ cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

¼ cup strained fresh lemon juice

¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed

Shortbread biscuits

250g butter, room temperature

240ml icing sugar, sifted

540ml, cake flour sifted

Meringue

3 remaining egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tar tar

1/4 cup of castor sugar

Vanilla paste/essence


Method:

Lemon curd

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and lemon zest and juice until combined. Add butter; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F (77°C), about 12 minutes. (Do not boil.)

Immediately remove from heat. Strain curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of curd. Let cool slightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Shortbread biscuits

1. Cream icing sugar and butter for 8 minutes until light and fluffy and pale in colour.

2. Mix in your sifted flour until well combined and you have a soft dough.

3. Shape into balls, flatten slightly and using your thumb make a well in the centre of each biscuit. Do this for all of them. Pop them onto a baking tray and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 180°C, bake for 8- 10 minutes.

Note: if your biscuits come out puffy, use the back of a teaspoon to gently push down and make a well in the centre.

Meringue

1. Whisk the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tar tar and gradually add the sugar. Whisk until you have stiff peaks.

Assemble

Spoon lemon curd into the well of the biscuit, pipe meringue over and torch till browned.

Best served the same day.