Lemon Sabayon Tartlettes

These may be called 'Little Lemon Tarts' but there sure is nothing little about their flavor. Lemons are like little balls of sunshine, they bring joy to everything they take part in. That being said, it must be nice to be a lemon! And it must be even lovelier to be made into a pretty little tart and enjoyed by many. 

These lemon tarts have many counterparts, but really you could easily simplify them. The candied lemon peel and meringue are not necessary but just pretty little add-ons. But don't get me wrong though, they are delicious little add-ons! 


I really loved the lemon sabayon of this tart - it was the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The tart dough, on the other hand, was less loved. Though it was easy to make and put together, it wasn't my favorite tart dough. It shrank, which made it stumpy and thick. I made it again using a sugar cookie dough which I liked a lot more. It was nice and chewy and added a perfect sweetness. 

Lemon Sabayon Tartlettes

Yields: 1 9-inch tart or 8 - 10 mini tarts
Sabayon recipe here. Tart dough recipe from Dessert Fourplay by Johnny Iuzzini. 

For the tart dough:

3 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. baking powder

12 tbsn. cold, unsalted butter (cut into pieces)

about 1 cup whole milk

For the lemon sabayon:
2 large eggs, cold

2 large egg yolks, cold

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (reserve the lemon peels)

6 tbsn. cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces


For the meringue (optional):

2 egg whites

1/4 + 1/8 cup sugar

For the candied lemon peel (optional):
reserved lemon peels
1 cup sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 cup water


To make the tart dough, put the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add 1/2 cup of the milk and pulse again until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out into a bowl and gather it into a ball. If the dough is still a bit dry, add a little more milk, tossing the dough with your fingers (you may not need all of the milk). Shape the dough into a brick, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. The dough will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and for several months in the freezer. Defrost before rolling. To pre-bake, roll out the dough to fit your mini tart pans. Bake at 350 F for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

To make the sabayon, bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bowl you will be using for the sabayon. Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl, whisk the whole eggs plus additional egg yolks and sugar for about a minute or until the mixture is smooth. Set the bowl over the pot and, using a whisk, whip the mixture while you turn the bowl (for even heating). After about 2 minutes, when the eggs are foamy and have thickened, add 1/3 of the lemon juice. Continue to whisk vigorously and, when the mixture thickens again, add another 1/3 of the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture thickens again, then add the remaining lemon juice. Continue whisking vigorously, still turning the bowl, until the mixture is thickened and light in color and the whisk leaves a trail in the bottom of the bowl. The total cooking time should be 8 - 10 minutes. 

Turn off the heat and leave the bowl over the water. Whisk in the butter a piece at a time. The sabayon may loosen slightly, but it will thicken and set as it cools. Pour the warm sabayon into the tart crust and place the pan on a baking sheet. Preheat the broiler. While the sabayon is still warm, place the tart under the broiler. Leaving the door open, brown the top of the sabayon, rotating the tart if necessary for even coloring (this will only take a few seconds, so do not leave the oven). Remove the tart from the broiler and let it sit for at least 1 hour before serving. 

To make the meringue, combine the egg whites and sugar in the metal bowl of an electric mixer. Bring an inch of water to boil then place the metal bowl on top. Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, remove and place back into the electric mixer. Whisk until peaks form, about 5 - 7 minutes. To make the candied lemon peels, remove any excess white piff from the peels (this is the bitter part), then slice the peels however you'd like. Bring the water to a boil, then add the lemon peel and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the peels, add the sugar to the hot water and bring to a boil again. Toss the lemon peels back in and boil until translucent (about another 5 minutes). Drain the peels then toss them in some sugar to coat. Let them dry on a counter for about 2 - 4 hours. To assemble, spoon the lemon sabayon into the pre-baked tart shells. Pipe the meringue on top of the lemon sabayon in whatever fashion you'd like, then top with some candied lemon peels!

Guest Post: Meringue-Kissed Raspberry Pots

Of course, you guys know I've been a long time reader of 6 Bittersweets for a long time. I'm obsessed with her creativity and she has a knack for finding the most delicious recipes around - I just made her Ricotta Blueberry Hotcakes and I was in heaven! I literally can't wait to find the perfect event to make her sesame & matcha cupcakes. I was so excited when she agreed to do a guest post on my blog and I hope you all enjoy - it's a real treat!


When Michelle invited me to guest post on her blog, I was giddy with excitement. It's not every day one gets asked to contribute to such a gorgeous collection of food, fashion, music, and photography! Especially after she shared those amazing cinnamon cupcakes with my readers, I knew I had to bring her a special treat. Thanks so much to Michelle and all of you for having me!

One thing you should know about me is that I love fresh fruit. Whether at the supermarket or farmers market, my basket is always brimming with whichever fruits are in season. But they taste so good out of hand that I just eat them right up. They rarely survive long enough to show up in a blog recipe 8). Then I found these stewed fruit pots topped with pretty meringue. And they are really worth having a little patience for.

What I like most about this dessert is that it looks fancy but can be whipped up so quickly. Couldn't we all use more recipes like that? But what about the taste? Well plums happen to be a fruit I find yummier when cooked. Here they're quickly stewed to coax out more sweetness and a silky texture. Combined with a delicately toasted meringue topping and almond cookie crumbs, the pure fruit flavors are enhanced but not at all masked. These pots were a great change of pace from my usual cupcakes and cookies and would be lovely for any get-together.

Meringue-Kissed Plum Raspberry Pots [Printable Recipe]
Adapted from Waitrose
Serves 6 


NOTES: Feel free to swap out the fruit here for any fresh seasonal or frozen fruit you like or have on hand! You can also make the fruit filling in advance and complete the pots with meringue right before serving. Amaretti biscuits should be available at fine coffee shops and in specialty food stores/sections. But if you can't find them, an equal amount of crushed almond biscotti should suffice. Or you could even bake your own!

3/4 cup PLUS 1 Tbsp sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup PLUS 2 T water
8 to 10 small plums, stones removed and each cut into 8
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, unthawed
8 amaretti biscuits, crushed [about 1/3 cup]
3 large egg whites, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place 5 Tbsp of the sugar, cinnamon stick, and vanilla in a medium sized saucepan with water. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the plums to the pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the plums have softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the frozen raspberries. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the cinnamon stick.

Divide the crushed biscuits among six 6 to 7 oz.  ramekins, and then spoon the stewed fruits over.

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until it holds a soft peak. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and continue beating until you have a stiff, glossy meringue. Heap some meringue onto the top of each ramekin. Use a spoon to spread the meringue to reach the edges of the each ramekin and then to make pretty swirls ^_^. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meringues are golden but still soft inside. Serve immediately.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

All I can say is moist lemon cake + gooey, sweet lemon curd + sticky, creamy meringue frosting equals one good combination. I was hired to bake these for a bridal shower so hopefully everything went well (crosses fingers)! These lemon-y cupcakes are perfect for Summer, all toasty just like I will be soon in the summer heat!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Lemon curd recipe from here.

Printable Recipe

For the cake:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

1 1/4 cups cake flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsn. lemon juice

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup lemon curd

For the meringue frosting:

2 large egg white

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the lemon curd:

zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 + 1/8 cup sugar

1/2 stick of butter, room temperature

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high until creamy and fluffy. Add the sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix until combined. Add the egg, beat well. Alternately add the flour mixture and lemon juice. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. 

For the meringue, put the sugar, cream of tartar, and egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should not be touching the water) and allow the sugar to melt into the eggs. Once warmed, add the vanilla and beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, about 3 - 5 minutes, set aside.

For the curd, put the zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and the zest is broken down. Put the lemon, sugar and butter into a mixer and cream. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the lemon juice and salt and mix to combine. Pour mixture into a saucepan and heat on low until the mixture reaches 175 degrees or just below a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the curd to cool down. Once cool, cut out the tops of the cupcakes in a circular fashion, fill the holes, and re-place the tops on. Pipe on the meringue and toast in the oven or with a blowtorch. Enjoy!