{Lemon curd + Vanilla Mousse + Toasted Meringue + Candied Lemon slices}

Candied Lemons
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced (1/8″)

1. In a medium saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium heat until you reach boiling and have a clear syrup. Turn the mixture down to low, add lemon slices, and simmer 20-30 minutes until lemons are translucent. Place slices on a piece of parchment for a couple days to cool and firm up a bit. Store in an air-tight container in between sheets of parchment. I’m actually not sure about their expiration – but the sugar content is pretty high, so I would guess a few weeks to a month in the fridge.

Sable Crust
Okay. This is lame. I legally can’t post this recipe since it’s part of my pastry school repertoire. BUT, this is a fantastic substitute. Whatever you choose to use, you’ll need a 9-inch tart crust, cooled. 

Yellow Glacage (adapted from Chef Bachour’s recipe)
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
5/8 cup (10 tablespoons) white chocolate couverature
4 sheets gelatin (silver grade)
Yellow food dye (the regular food coloring from the grocery store works great here)

1. Place gelatin in a small bowl and cover with COLD water. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Drain excess water.

2. Place white chocolate in a medium bowl, set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, heat water, sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk to 217F. Remove from heat. Add softened gelatin, whisking until completely melted and incorporated. Pour mixture over white chocolate and let sit for 3-5 minutes, until chocolate begins to melt. Using an immersion blender, blend until mixture is smooth and bubble-free. While blending, add yellow food dye until you reach a nice, bright yellow. Cover mixture with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.

4. To reheat for use: Carefully microwave until the mixture reaches 82-85F. Immersion blend again if you have any bubbles. Pour over frozen mousse.

Vanilla Mousse
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 sheets gelatin (silver grade)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Prep a 6-inch cake ring: place your ring on top of a wrinkle-free piece of plastic wrap and leave the sides without lining.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, whip whipping cream to soft peaks – peaks should droop a little when whisk is lifted out of the bowl. Set aside (preferably in the fridge).

3. Place gelatin in a small bowl and cover with COLD water. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until soft. While you’re waiting, move on to step 3.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, whip together cream cheese , granulated sugar, and vanilla until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth.

5. Check your gelatin: when it’s soft, drain excess water and carefully melt in the microwave, checking every 5 seconds or so (should take about 15 seconds total). Whisk thoroughly into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped cream from Step 1. Pour into your prepped cake ring, making sure to fill the ring evenly without large air pockets on the bottom or sides of your ring*. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze several hours until firm.

*When we unmold this, we flip the mousse over so that the smooth bottom becomes the top. So it’s important that you don’t end up with an air pocket on the bottom that will show in the final tart. This happened to me you guys…that randomly placed lemon slice may have an ulterior motive…

Lemon Curd
3 whole eggs
2 large lemons, zest and juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter
2 oz cream cheese, room temperature (not a traditional curd ingredient, but run with it)
2 sheets gelatin (silver grade) (also not a traditional curd ingredient, but will lend a little stability to the tart when sliced).

1. In a medium saucepan, combine: eggs, zest, juice, and sugar. Blend with an immersion blender until eggs are completely smooth. Place over low heat and whisk constantly until thickened and whisk leaves a trail in the curd. Remove from heat and press through a strainer into a medium bowl to remove lemon zest.

2. Place gelatin in a small bowl and cover with COLD water. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Once soft, drain excess water and carefully melt in the microwave, checking every 5 seconds (should take about 15 seconds total).

3. Add butter, cream cheese, and melted gelatin. Blend again with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into cooled tart crust, leveling with a large offset spatula. Place in the freezer for several hours until frozen.

Meringue*
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
3.5 tablespoons water

*Make this last as it needs to piped immediately – refer to the Assembly instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally to make sure all of your sugar dissolves, until the mixture reaches 244F. BUT BUT BUT before you reach that temp…

2. WHEN YOUR SYRUP HITS 230F, start whipping your egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment – medium speed. Whip until you hit soft peaks – at which point your syrup should be about 244F. Remaining at medium speed, slowly pour your syrup into the egg whites, being careful to aim for the side of the bowl so you don’t get splattered with hot syrup. Continue whipping until the meringue reaches room temperature. You can check the temp by feeling the sides of the bowl with your hands (or wrists if you also have chilly hands) – it’s done when you can’t feel much temp difference between the bowl and your hands/wrists.

3. Pour into a piping bag fit with a St. Honore tip (#882). Use immediately.

Assembly
Glacage, brought to 82-85F
Frozen Vanilla Mousse, still in the mold
Frozen tart (tart shell filled with the lemon curd, frozen)
Meringue**
Candied Lemon Slices

**Wait to make the meringue until you reach step 3 of assembly

1. Unmold the frozen mousse: with your kitchen torch, run the flame quickly around the side of the cake ring. Gently slide the mousse out of the ring and return the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up again.

2. Place the mousse on top of a bowl over a plate. Pour glacage over mousse. Let excess drip, then gently clean up the base. Place the mousse on the center of your frozen tart. Place in the freezer for another 30 minutes to firm up.

3. Make the meringue. Pipe meringue around the edge of your mousse. Using a kitchen torch, toast the meringue. Garnish with candied lemon slices, if desired.