Meyer Lemon Pastry Food

MEYER LEMON PASTRY

Steps:

• Bring water and granulated sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
• Cut out a circle of parchment the size of the saucepan. Add lemons, and cover with parchment. Simmer gently until lemons are soft and translucent, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove lemons from syrup, and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 11-by-14-inch rectangle. Lightly score a 1-inch border around edges using a sharp paring knife. Brush entire surface of dough with egg wash, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake pastry until golden, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, whisk heavy cream and vanilla seeds with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Top pastry with lemon slices. Serve with vanilla cream.

STRAWBERRY AND RASPBERRY TART WITH MEYER LEMON PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Grate the butter on a box grater and add to the bowl of a food processor with the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the salt. Pulse to combine until the mixture resembles Parmesan cheese. Add the egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse to combine until the dough comes together and holds its shape when pressed between your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Gently knead a few times and bring the dough together into a ball, then flatten into a disc. Roll the dough out evenly into a 1/4-inch-thick circle. Transfer the dough onto a sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and roll evenly in all directions, making sure it doesn't stick to your work surface and dusting with flour as needed. The dough should be about 1/8-inch thick. Slice the dough in half and transfer to two nonstick 6-inch fluted tart pans with removable bottoms. Press the dough snuggly into the edges ensuring the dough runs fully up the side. Use a rolling pin to trim the excess dough. Line each tart with a piece of foil and fill with baking beans (or I use rice!), making sure the foil is tightly packed to the corners. Transfer the dough to the oven to blind bake for 6 minutes. Rotate the pan, then bake for another 6 minutes. Remove the foil and baking beans and place the tart back into the oven until lightly golden, another 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Set up an ice bath. Add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream to a small bowl. Mix to create a slurry and set aside. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and the 4 whole eggs to a large bowl and beat with a whisk until pale yellow and foamy. Add the remaining 2 cups heavy cream, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the vanilla extract and lemon peel to a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then pour half of the mixture into the bowl with the eggs and sugar and immediately whisk vigorously to combine and temper the mixture. Pour the contents of the bowl into the saucepan and continue to whisk. Add the cornstarch slurry and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken and it reaches the texture of pudding, 3 to 4 minutes. You want to continuously whisk to avoid scorching the mixture. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Set the bowl over the ice bath to cool.
• Place the apricot preserves and a splash of water into a small saute pan. Turn the heat to medium and stir to gently melt the preserves, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• To assemble the tart, spoon an even layer of the lemon pastry cream into each tart shell, but not fully to the top. Line the outside of the tart with raspberries and working inward, arrange the inside of the tart with the sliced strawberries. Repeat this process alternating with more raspberries and strawberries. Glaze the top of each tart with the apricot mixture.
• Serve the tarts with a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

MEYER LEMON SHAKE-UP TARTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray the phyllo shells with cooking spray and sprinkle with 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar. Place the shells on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, yolks and the 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until thick and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice, and stir to combine.
• Add the egg mixture to a heavy saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a bowl set in an ice bath. Stir in the butter, one pat at a time, and continue stirring to cool down quickly (or chill in the refrigerator until cool to the touch, about 5 minutes).
• Fill a pastry bag or heavy-duty plastic bag with a corner snipped off with the lemon curd filling. Pipe the filling into the cooled tart shells, then freeze for 1 hour. Garnish with a small dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar just before serving.

MEYER LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving 1" of overhang on the two long sides.
• In a food processor, pulse 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water 1 tsp at a time if mixture is too dry. Press dough into bottom of prepared pan, pressing snugly against the inside edges.
• Bake crust for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Set pan on a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
• Whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until well combined and pale in color. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 1/4 cup flour, and a pinch of salt. Pour topping over warm crust. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set.
• Set pan on a rack to cool. Remove squares by lifting parchment. Cut into bars. Dust with remaining 3 tbsp powdered sugar.

MEYER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place sugar, eggs, and lemon juice in a blender; blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Pour melted butter into the blender and blend for 30 seconds more.
• Transfer lemon filling to the pastry shell.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow pie to rest until completely set before serving, about 15 minutes more.