Lemon Pudding With Strawberries And Meringue Cigars Food

LEMON PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRIES AND MERINGUE CIGARS

Steps:

• For meringue cigars:
• Heat oven to 200°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a pencil to mark parchment with parallel lines 5 inches apart; these lines will be your guides when piping. Turn paper over.
• Beat whites with salt in stand mixer at high speed (or in a large bowl with handheld mixer) until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, beating, and continue to beat at high speed until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Secure paper to baking sheets with dabs of meringue.
• Spoon some meringue into pastry bag and pipe 5-inch-long cigars (3/4 to 1 inch wide) onto 1 baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Add more meringue to pastry bag and pipe more cigars in same manner on other baking sheet.
• Sprinkle cigars generously with pistachios.
• Bake cigars in oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until crisp but still white, about 2 hours.
• Turn off oven and cool meringue cigars in oven 1 hour, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Make lemon pudding while meringue cigars are baking:
• Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl.
• Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until butter melts, curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk, and first bubble appears on surface, 6 to 9 minutes.
• Immediately force lemon curd through sieve into bowl and chill curd, its surface covered with a round of wax paper, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Beat cream and confectioners' sugar in another bowl with cleaned beaters until mixture just holds soft peaks. Fold one third of whipped cream into lemon curd to lighten, then fold in remaining cream. Divide among individual bowls and chill, covered, if not using right away.
• Top with strawberries and serve with meringue cigars.

LEMON PUDDING WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM

Steps:

• Remove the zest of 1 lemon in wide strips with a vegetable peeler. Juice both lemons to make about 5 tablespoons. Chop 1 cup of the strawberries and combine with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl; set aside to macerate while you make the pudding.
• Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and 1/4 cup half-and-half until smooth. Bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups half-and-half and the lemon zest to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and let sit 10 minutes to infuse. Gradually whisk in the sugar-yolk mixture, then the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice.
• Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a boil and thickens, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, about 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing it through with a rubber spatula; discard the lemon zest.
• Divide the macerated strawberries among 8 clear plastic cups or glasses; top with the lemon pudding. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of each and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• When the pudding is set, pulse the remaining 3/4 cup strawberries in a mini food processor until smooth. Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Add the strawberry puree and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Top the pudding with the strawberry whipped cream and sprinkle with the crumbled cookies. Top with sliced strawberries.

LEMON PUDDING WITH FLOATING MERINGUE ISLANDS

Steps:

• MERINGUE: Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes or until soft peaks form. (When the beaters are lifted out of the bowl, they form peaks that fold over.) Add the sugar and beat for 1 minute or until thick and glossy. Form 4 mounds of meringue in an 8 or 9 inch shallow baking dish and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.
• FILLING: Place the sugar, cornstarch salt and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until it begins to boil. Boil for 1 minute. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and beat slightly. Very slowly whisk some of the hot mixture into the eggs to temper them. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until the mixture barely begins to bubble. (Do not allow the pudding to boil or the eggs will curdle.) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon juice.
• Carefully pour the pudding around the meringue. The meringue may loosen on their own and pop to the top of the pudding. If they do not, carefully run a knife or spatula around them to loosen them. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until ready to serve.