Lemon Meringue Parfait Food

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• For the graham cracker crust: Weigh and mix your dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a stand mixer, cream the butter with both sugars and honey until thoroughly combined. Add to the butter/sugar mixture until just combined. Roll between two pieces of parchment paper to a ¼-inch thickness. Freeze 20 minutes. Note: Please refer to the written recipe for measurements as they've been adjusted from the video.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove top sheet of parchment and bake 30 minutes until brown. When cool, break up pieces and pulse in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside at room temperature.
• For the lemon curd: In a saucepan whisk eggs, sugar and lemon juice and slowly bring to a boil, stirring the whole time (to prevent the eggs from cooking). Place through a strainer with a ladle or a China cap into a blender and with the motor on, add butter, a little at a time until emulsified. Set aside.
• For the Swiss meringue: Place egg whites and sugar in a bowl set over simmering water and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until soft peaks form. Set aside. Note: Please refer to the written recipe for measurements as they've been adjusted from the video. To assemble: Place graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of a serving glass and layer lemon curd followed by more graham cracker crumbs 3 times. Top with a dollop of meringue. Run a kitchen torch across the top for a toasty finish.

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Line a 20cm round tin, preferably loose-based, with cling film, using more than one piece if necessary to cover the bottom and up the sides, and pop in the freezer.
• Roughly break up the meringues with your fingers into a bowl, aiming for nothing bigger than a golf ball.
• Put the cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until starting to stiffen. Stop when it looks floppy, like Greek yogurt.
• Grate over the lemon zest and sprinkle over the gin and meringue rubble. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the cream up, over and round, until just combined.
• Stir the lemon curd so it's gloopy rather than firm; if it remains too thick, dilute with a tsp of gin. Dollop over the surface of the cream. Take your spoon and fold it in, turning the bowl as you do so - no more than a dozen folds, so the curd forms streaks. Spoon gently into the tin and freeze for at least four hours. Once firm, cover with cling film.
• About 10-20 mins before serving, remove the parfait from the freezer, invert onto a plate, peel away the cling film, and return right-side-up, at room temperature. Serve in wedges with lemon curd drizzled over and the fruit on the side.

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAITS

Steps:

• Divide sherbet among four 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups; cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until very firm, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar (about 1 tablespoon every 20 seconds); continue beating until peaks are stiff and glossy.
• With a flexible spatula, mound meringue on sherbet; swirl and spread to edges of ramekins with the back of a spoon. Place on a baking sheet; bake until meringue is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

LEMON MERINGUE DESSERT SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease 13x9-inch pan.
• In large bowl, combine cake mix, 1/2 cup butter and egg.
• Mix at low speed until crumbly.
• Press mixture in bottom of greased pan.
• In medium saucepan, combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• Gradually stir in water; blend until smooth.
• Cook over medium heat until mixture boils, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir about 1/2 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; return egg mixture to saucepan.
• Cook until mixture is bubbly.
• (Mixture will be very thick.) Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons butter, lemon peel and lemon juice.
• Pour filling over crust.
• In small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
• Add 1/2 cup sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) beating at high speed until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
• Spread meringue over hot filling.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.
• Cool 1 hour.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
• Cut into squares.
• Hint: To cut perfect slices of meringue desserts, dip knife in water before cutting.
• After each cut, wipe knife clean and dip it in water again.

LEMON CURD FOR LEMON, BLACKBERRY, AND MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Combine yolks, sugar, and lemon zest and juice in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pass mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring after each until butter is melted and combined.
• Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm and thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.