Strawberry Meringue Tarts 

Directions

1. For the crust, blend the flour, sugar, and salt in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cut in the butter, on low speed, until a rough crumbly texture. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the vinegar and cold water. Add this all at once to the flour mixture and blend. If the dough is still crumbly, add another 1 Tbsp (15 mL) water. Shape the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to just less than ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, and line six 3½-inch (9 cm) tart shells with dough. Trim the tart shells and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°f (180°c). Place the tart shells on a baking tray and dock the bottoms with a fork. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the bottoms appear dry and the edges are lightly browned. Let cool.

4. For the filling, stir the strawberries with the sugar, lemon juice, and ½ cup (125 mL) water. Let them sit for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a small pot and bring it to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water and whisk it into the simmering liquid. Stir until the filling has thickened, then remove the pot from the heat to cool. Once cooled, fold the sauce into the strawberries and spoon them into the baked tart shells. Chill the tarts while preparing the meringue.

5. Preheat the oven to 400°f (200°c).

6. Whip the egg whites with the lemon juice on one speed lower than high and gradually add the sugar while whipping to stiff peaks. Stir in the cornstarch then pipe or dollop the meringue over the strawberry filling. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes until browned, then cool and chill until ready to serve.

FRESH TAKE

• Ripe berries can let out a lot of juice the moment you slice them. I was inspired to create this berry filling so as not to waste a drop. The juices, thickened with cornstarch, hold the berries in place. This tart keeps a fresh strawberry taste, as opposed to a cooked pie filling.

• This tart shell recipe has a shortbread-like buttery goodness but enough structure to hold up to the fresh berry filling without going soggy.

• It only takes two minutes for the heat of the hot oven to permeate the meringue right to the center and cook it. Don’t go too far from the oven or you’ll have a toasted-marshmallow strawberry tart.

Printed with permission from Fresh with Anna Olson by Anna Olson