Tasty Tuesday - Mini Lemon Meringue pies

This is a recipe that I have tested and adapted from a Canadian Living recipe. The shortbread crust is a tasty complement to the lemon curd filling. Ensure that you use a well buttered non-stick tart pan so that the crusts do not fall apart when you try and remove them.

INGREDIENTS:

• Crust:
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla
• 1 pinch salt
• 1-1/3 cups (325 mL) all-purpose flour

Lemon Filling:

• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon zest
• 5 tbsp (75 mL) lemon juice

Meringue:

• 1/3 cup (75 mL) pasteurized egg whites
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar  
• 
  

• DIRECTIONS: 
• Lemon filling: In a  large heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set over saucepan of simmering water; cook, stirring constantly, until space remains after spoon is drawn through, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain through fine sieve into bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. 






• Crust: Butter the tart pan. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until smooth and fluffy; beat in vanilla and salt. Stir in flour. Roll by scant 1 tbsp into 24 balls, discarding any remaining dough; press onto bottoms and up sides of mini muffin cups. Prick all over with fork; refrigerate for 1 hour.

• Bake in 375ºF (190ºC) oven until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack. Fill each shell with rounded 1 tsp of the filling.

• 
  Meringue: In bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually beat in sugar until stiff glossy peaks form, about 8-10 minutes.
  
  Using pastry bag fitted with plain tip, pipe meringue in concentric circles on each tart, ensuring meringue touches pastry and covers filling. 
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• Broil until meringue is golden, 30 to 60 seconds. To remove from pan, loosen edges with tip of knife. Makes 24 tarts