These bright and tart little lemon meringues are a modern twist on an old favorite! Who doesn't love a burst of lemon on a hot summer day? Dust these bite-sized meringues with lemon zest and powdered sugar for a dessert that will have everyone smiling!
Jump to:
- why this recipe works
- ingredients for little lemon meringues
- how to make little lemon meringues
- how to temper egg yolks
- how to make a perfect meringue
- want to make ahead? no problem!
- how to make dairy free lemon curd
- 📖 Recipe
- how to make a perfect meringue
- want to make ahead? no problem!
- how to make dairy free lemon curd
- more lemon deliciousness from Ninnescah Homestead
- 💬 Comments
why this recipe works
Just imagine a little bite of sunshine. That pretty much sums up this recipe! Tiny little meringue drops filled with lemon curd, need I say more? It's the perfect combination of sweet and tart that will have you begging for seconds.
ingredients for little lemon meringues
- lemons | because we are using the zest, wash the lemons before using.
- eggs
- sugar
- arrowroot powder | or substitute corn starch
- water
- butter | or substitute margarine for a dairy free option
- vanilla
- cream of tartar
how to make little lemon meringues
making the lemon curd
- Gently roll the lemon along the counter, massaging it against the counter to help loosen the juice. Zest the lemon peel (just the yellow peel, not the white layer below) & squeeze the juice. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks and place the whites in a stand mixer.
- To make the lemon curd, whisk ½ cup of sugar and arrowroot powder in a saucepan. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Keep whisking! Gradually temper the yolks by adding a bit of the thickened mixture. See the note below for more details about this process. Whisk the tempered yolks and lemon mixture and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped butter. The butter will create a glossier lemon curd! Pop it in the fridge for an hour.
making the meringues
- Going back to the egg whites in the stand mixer, it's time to make the meringue! Time to beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter! Watch for stiff peaks to form. Add the sugar very slowly. The sugar will almost fully dissolve and stiff peaks will return. Fold in the remaining lemon zest.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. I use a scoop to get even sized meringues. The cookie scoop will create a rounded meringue, which is what I used.
- Bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for thirty-five minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to gradually cool in a dry oven for one hour. Remove the meringues from the oven and gently peel off the parchment paper.
- Spoon the lemon curd onto the meringues and add a bit more zest & (optional) whipped topping.
how to temper egg yolks
Tempering eggs is a process that allows the room temperature egg to be combined with a simmering sauce gradually, which allows the egg to fully incorporate into the mixture. To do this, simple spoon a bit of the sauce into the egg yolks and stir. Repeat.
how to make a perfect meringue
Meringues MUST (yes, I am using the shouting capital letters) be made in a clean glass or stainless steel bowl. If there is even a hint of oil in the pan, the meringue will not fluff up properly. The first time I made a lemon meringue pie, my sweet mother in law gave me this tip.
want to make ahead? no problem!
Unfilled meringues can be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature a day ahead OR frozen for up to two weeks.
Store leftover lemon curd in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week. Lemon curd is delicious by itself, with granola, drizzled over fruit or in greek yogurt.
how to make dairy free lemon curd
Lemon curd is a delicious dessert that can easily be adapted to a dairy free diet. Instead of added the ¼ cup of butter to the lemon curd to make it glossy and smooth, use a dairy free margarine substitute.
📖 Recipe
little lemon meringues
These bright and tart little lemon meringues are a modern twist on an old favorite! Who doesn't love a burst of lemon on a hot summer day? Dust these bite-sized meringues with lemon zest and powdered sugar for a dessert that will have everyone smiling!
Servings: 12
Calories: 151kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lemon + zest
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ C sugar divided
- 1 Tbsp. arrowroot or cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp. water
- ¼ C butter cut to ½ inch pieces
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
- optional whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Gently roll the lemon along the counter, massaging it against the counter to help loosen the juice. Zest the lemon peel & squeeze the juice. Separate the eggs whites from the yolks and place the whites in a stand mixer.
- To make the lemon curd, whisk ½ cup of sugar and arrowroot powder in a saucepan. Stir in 1-2 teaspoons of lemon zest, lemon juice, and water. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Gradually temper the yolks by adding a bit of the thickened mixture.
- Whisk the tempered yolks and lemon mixture and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped butter. The butter will create a glossier lemon curd! Chill at least one hour.
- Going back to the egg whites in the stand mixer, it's time to make the meringue! Beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tarter until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time while continuing to whisk at a high speed. The sugar will almost fully dissolve and stiff peaks will return. Fold in the remaining lemon zest.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Either trace a drinking glass on the parchment to create 12 uniform circles, or use a 2oz cookie scoop. The cookie scoop will create a rounded meringue, which is what I used. Piping the meringue into the circles will create more of a cloud-like texture, but can be a bit trickier to pull off.
- Bake in a 300 degree preheated oven for thirty-five minutes. Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to gradually cool in a dry oven for one hour. Remove the meringues from the oven and gently peel off the parchment paper.
- Spoon the lemon curd onto the meringues and add a bit more zest &; (optional) whipped topping. To keep for later, wait to add the curd to the meringues until just before serving.
Notes
how to make a perfect meringue
Meringues MUST (yes, I am using the shouting capital letters) be made in a clean glass or stainless steel bowl. If there is even a hint of oil in the pan, the meringue will not fluff up properly. The first time I made a lemon meringue pie, my sweet mother in law gave me this tip.want to make ahead? no problem!
Unfilled meringues can be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature a day ahead OR frozen for up to two weeks. Store leftover lemon curd in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week. Lemon curd is delicious by itself, with granola, drizzled over fruit or in greek yogurt.how to make dairy free lemon curd
Lemon curd is a delicious dessert that can easily be adapted to a dairy free diet. Instead of added the ¼ cup of butter to the lemon curd to make it glossy and smooth, use a dairy free margarine substitute.Nutrition
Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg
more lemon deliciousness from Ninnescah Homestead
- Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread
- Easy Lemon Meringue Pie
- Wild-Caught Bass with Lemon & Tahini Chickpea Rice
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