Even though I usually make easy and quick recipe, I wanted to share this. It’s a little tricky but it’s definitely worth it. At the first bite you will taste the sourness of the jam and the sweetness of the merengue packed inside this crumbly shell of pastry. Absolute heaven. Learning how to make merengue is not that easy but, with a little practice and a trusted kitchen machine, you’ll get great results in no time.
There is just one warning, don’t use other jams or, if you want to change, use only jams with a low sugar content and with a sour taste. If you use common jams like peach or apricots you will get a super sweet tart that will surely be disgusting (unless you love sickening desserts..).
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Lemon Jam and merengue tart
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 tart 1x
Description
A stunning tart featuring a crumbly pastry shell filled with tangy lemon jam and topped with a sweet, golden meringue.
Ingredients
- 1 jar of lemon jam
- 2 egg yolks
- 120g butter or shortening (room temperature)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of sugar
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 50g all-purpose flour, for dusting the board
- 1/2 tsp of baking soda
- 2 egg whites
- 100g sugar (for the meringue)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- To make the pastry, sift 300g of flour into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp of sugar, and stir well.
- Add 120g of room temperature butter or shortening to the flour mixture. Using your fingers, mix until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Add 2 egg yolks and 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the mixture. Knead until the dough is smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Dust your work surface with 50g of flour. Roll out the dough to fit your tart pan. Place the dough in the pan and trim the edges.
- Spread 1 jar of lemon jam evenly over the pastry base.
- In a clean bowl, beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 100g of sugar, beating until the meringue is glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Spread the meringue over the lemon jam, creating peaks with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.
- Allow the tart to cool before serving.
Notes
- Use only lemon jam or jams with low sugar content and a sour taste to avoid an overly sweet tart.
- Practice making meringue to achieve the perfect texture.
- The tart is best served the day it’s made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 60
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different jam, like apricot or peach?
No — the article is unusually direct about this: using common sweet jams like peach or apricot will make the tart “super sweet” and “surely disgusting” because the meringue is already 100g of sugar. You must use lemon jam or another low-sugar jam with a sour taste to balance the sweet meringue layer. 
Why does the pastry dough need to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes?
After kneading the dough of 300g flour, butter, egg yolks, and baking soda to a smooth consistency, chilling it for 30 minutes relaxes the gluten and firms the fat so it rolls out without springing back or tearing when fitted into the tart pan.
How do I get the meringue to hold its peaks and not weep?
Start with 2 egg whites beaten to soft peaks in a clean bowl, then add the 100g of sugar gradually while beating to stiff, glossy peaks. The article notes that a trusted kitchen machine makes all the difference — hand-whisking to stiff peaks is difficult and inconsistent. Once spread over the jam and baked at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes, the meringue should be golden and stable.
