I picked-up a great technique to judge the doneness of a meringue from Jamie Oliver. Whisk the egg whites to the point that when you hold the bowl upside down on your head, the mixture does not pour over you! This is a lovely dessert which can be made with any fruit combination you fancy.
Pastry for 9-inch tart shell
9 ounces flour
6 ounces butter
2 to 3 ounces ice water
1 egg yolk
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup of sugar (omit if you prefer unsweetened tart)
Filling
3 cups quartered strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Meringue
5 large egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
To make the tart shell: Combine the flour, butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and rub the butter between your fingers until they form small pea-sized bead chunks. Add the egg yolk, salt and water and whisk until they just combined. Shape the dough into a log, wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes in the refridgerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to just under 1/4 inch thick and line a 9 inch tart shells. Trim, and “blind” bake in oven for 15-20 minutes over 180 degree C. (To blind bake, line the pastry shell with a baking sheet and fill the pastry with dried beans. The reason for this is to prevent the crust from buckling.)
To make the filling: Stir strawberries with sugar, lemon juice and the 1/2 cup of water in a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a small saucepan, heat up to a simmer and stir in the cornstarch and the balance 2 tablespoons water while whisking. Stir until thickened, then remove from heat to cool. Once cooled, fold the liquid back into the strawberries and pour the whole thing into the baked tart shell. Chill in refridgerator while preparing the meringue.
To make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak (if you prefer not to have stiff arms, use a standing mixer). Add the sugar and whisk in. Adjust the sweetness according to your preference by adding a bit more sugar if necessary.
Assembly: Fold the filling into the baked tart shell, then dollop the meringue on top and peak it with a fork so it’s not all smooth and flat. Bake in oven oven 200 degree C for 2-3 minutes until the meringue is lightly golden. Serve hot or cold.
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