Lemon Chocolate Meringue Tart

Hugo made this lemon chocolate meringue tart for my birthday and every bite was pure bliss. Lemon, chocolate ganache, homemade French shortbread pastry and  Italian meringue come together to make this heavenly tart.

There is never not a good time to eat this tart but it is especially delicious when celebrating a birthday! We are celebrating today with this delicious birthday tart.

Our “Pornic” cake plate is special for two reasons : (1) Pornic is where Alix spent her Summers growing up and (2) it was a wedding gift from Marie-Anne and Mathieu, dear friends from Pornic that Alix used to stay with each Summer to learn French and experience French culture and life! ♥

For the chocolate ganache :

• 200g of cream
• 200g of chocolate
• 40g of salted butter
• 1 pinch of tonka beans

 The steps to create to perfection

1. Break the chocolate into small pieces and put in a bowl.
2. Heat the cream with the tonka beans until it boils.
3. Pour the cream into the bowl of chocolate.
4. Let the cream melt the chocolate (1 or 2 minutes).
5. Stir the mixture with a whisk.
6. Once the chocolate has melted, add the butter and stir until combined.
7. Pour the ganache over the dough, and refrigerate overnight.

For the lemon cream

• 100g of lemon juice
• 10gr of lemon zest
• 120g of brown sugar
• 3 big eggs (165g)
• 85g of unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 sheet of gelatin

 The steps to create to perfection

1. Put the lemon juice and the lemon zest in a large pot and heat on medium heat. Remove from heat and put aside.
2. Whisk eggs and sugar in your Kitchenaid to blanch.
3. Put the gelatin in a bowl of water to soften.
4. Put the lemon mixture back on the stove on medium heat. Add eggs and sugar mixture and stir quickly for 2 or 3 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
5. Add the gelatin and the butter into the mixture and mix with hand-mixer.
6. Put in a pastry pouch.
7. Refrigerate overnight.
8. Add the lemon filling to the tart (on top of the layer of chocolate).
9. Smoothe out the layer of lemon filling.

For the meringue :

• 2 egg whites
• 10g of lemon juice
• 150g of caster sugar
• 50g of water

Special tools :

• 1 thermometer

 The steps to create to perfection

1. Put the lemon juice, water and caster sugar in a pan and heat on high heat,
2. When the mixture reaches between 90 and 100°C, put the egg whites in your Kitchenaid and whisk them until they form peaks,
3. When the mixture reaches 118°C, add it to the egg whites and continue to whisk until the temperature decreases to 40°C.
4. Add the meringue on to the tart with a pouch or with a spoon.
5. Use a kitchen blowtorch to caramelize the meringue.