KEEN YOUNG COOK WINNER: HARRIET MORGAN-BARSTOW

Lemon Meringue Slice

"The Lemon Meringue Slice is made up of four elements that are layered together. The layers are made up from top to bottom as follows: Sablé Biscuit, Lemon Pain De Génes, Lemon Curd, Meringue."

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Lemon Curd:

• 2 sheets of Gelatine
  200g of Lemon Juice
  150g of Caster Sugar
  5 Eggs
  110g of butter (diced)

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Ingredients for the Sablé Biscuit:

• 50g of plain flour

• 37g unsalted butter

• 50g of golden caster sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 2 egg yolks 

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Ingredients for the Lemon Pain De Génes:

• 2 Large Eggs

• 120g of Almond Paste, warmed

• 40g Butter

• 10g Lemon Juice

• 25g plain flour

• 2g baking powder

• Zest from 2 lemons

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Ingredients for the Meringue:

• 125g of local Strawberries pureed 

• 4 Egg whites

• 200g Caster Sugar

Method

Method for the Lemon Curd:

1. Soak gelatine

2. Add the Caster Sugar and Lemon Juice to a pan

3. Put 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks in a bowl and mix together

4. Bring the pan of Leon juice and sugar to the boil, then pour over the egg mixture whilst constantly stirring

5. Put the mixture back in the pan (still stirring). Remove the pan from the heat when it reaches 90

6. Add Gelatine and stir until dissolved. Sieve the mix into a bowl and then slowly add the butter. Leave to set in the fridge.

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Method for the Sablé Biscuit:

1. Pre heat oven to 200oC

2. Mix all of the ingredients in a mixer until a dough is formed

3. Rest in the fridge for 30 mins

4. Roll out to 5mm thick and bake for 6 to 8 mins.

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Method for the Lemon Pain De Génes:

1. Whisk the eggs and Almond paste together in a bowl until light and fluffy

2. Add some of the mixture into the butter, then add this along with the lemon juice back into the mixture

3. Fold in lemon zest, baking powder and the flour

4. Put mixture into a lined tin and then bake at 200c for 6 to 8 minutes.

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Method for the Meringue:

1. Put Egg whites and Strawberry Puree into a mixing bowl and whisk

2. Add the sugar slowly and continue to whisk until the meringue forms.

 

Assembling the slice:

1. The slice can be assembled either using a knife or a cutter

2. Cut all the layers to the same size, layer on the Pain De Génes, followed by the Lemon Curd and then finally pipe the Meringue to form decorative peaks.

3. Finish by searing the Meringue with a blow torch.

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