Lemon meringue custards

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
¾ cup Sugar
The zest of 3 lemons; removed with a
; vegetable peeler
; (being carefulto
; include none of the
; white pith)
2½ cup Milk
1½ cup Heavy cream
¼ teaspoon Salt
5 larges Egg yolks
4 larges Whol eggs
¼ cup Fresh lemon juice
1¼ cup Sugar
4 larges Egg whites
¼ cup Fresh lemon juice
Silver dragees for garnish

Directions

FOR THE CUSTARD

FOR THE MERINGUE

Make the custard:

In a food processor grind the sugar and the zest until the zest is chopped fine and transfer the mixture to a large saucepan. Add ¼ cup water, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, the cream, and the salt and cook the mixture until it is hot, but do not let it boil.

In a bowl whisk together the yolks and the whole eggs, add the hot milk mixture in a stream, whisking, and stir in the lemon juice. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into twelve ⅔-cup ramekins set in a large baking pan, add enough hot water the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins, and bake the custards in the middle of a preheated 325F. oven for 40 minutes, or until they are just set. (Alternatively, the custard can be baked in the same manner in a 1½-quart shallow baking dish for 1 hour, or until it is just set.) Remove the ramekins from the pan, let the custards cool completely, and chill them, covered loosely with wax paper, for at least 3 hours. The custards may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Make the meringue:

In a small saucepan combine the sugar with ⅓ cup water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup until it registers 248F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the heat. While the syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. With the mixer running add the hot syrup in a stream, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, and beat in the lemon juice.

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, blot the top of the custard dry with paper towels, and pipe the meringue decoratively onto it. Sprinkle the meringue with the dragees, transfer the custards to a large baking pan filled with ice, and bake them in the top third of a preheated 450F. oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is golden.

The lemon meringue custards may be made 3 hours in advance and kept in the large baking pan filled with more ice.

Serves 12.

Gourmet December 1990

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