French lemon tart (Gluten-free & dairy-free)

Instructions

For the cream:

1. Cut butter into small cubes and leave in the fridge until ready to use. Squeeze lemon juice in a bowl, and mix in lemon zest. Place it next to the stove, so you don’t need to walk away from the stove once you start making the cream.
2. Place eggs, yolks, and sugar in a heat-proof bowl and set over a pot with simmering water. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk vigorously, until the mixture starts to thicken. Add ½ of your juice with zest and whisk again. Once it has thickened again, add the remaining juice. 
3. Whisk until very thick and, when you lift a whisk — the cream leaves a visible “ribbon” on a surface that doesn’t disappear for a couple of seconds. (check my video for reference).
4. Transfer cream to a large bowl, add bloomed gelatin (if using). Whisk in half of the butter. Add the remaining butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Pour into the crust if planning to serve the same day and let set in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
5. If you are not serving the tart on the same day, cover lemon cream with plastic wrap**and keep in the fridge until 2-3 hours before serving. Store tart crust separately at room temperature, so it doesn’t get soggy. When ready to use, stir the cream with a spatula to smooth it and pour it into the crust. Let sit in the fridge for 2-3 h before serving.

For the meringue:

1. Mix egg whites and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer (if using) or any heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water, and whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Test it by rubbing a drop of mixture between your fingers - it should be completely smooth. You can also check its readiness with a thermometer — the temperature should be around 68 C/154 F. 
2. Once the sugar is dissolved, transfer the bowl to the stand mixer and whip the meringue at a medium-high speed until it cools down to room temperature and stiff glossy peaks form. Pipe onto your tart immediately and toast with a blow-torch (if you have one, but it’s optional).
3. Enjoy!