Lemon Meringue Tart

I have to start off with a big thank you to Chris who supplied 10 homegrown, juicy, delicious lemons for this recipe. This recipe truly captures the brightness of summer in one tasty tart shell. The lemon curd filling is both rich and refreshing--the tartness of the lemons is perfectly balanced with a touch of sugar and butter. My favorite part of baking this tart was the meringue topping. Unlike a raw meringue that you cook in the oven, this recipe called for cooking the meringue on the stove top and then whipping it to a fluffy, marshmallow-like consistency. After piping the meringue into elegant swirls, it was time for the fun part--fire! Using a kitchen blow torch, I burnt the ridges of the swirls to create beautiful definition. I shared this tart with my coworkers and I am happy to report that not one crumb made it home. Whenever I want a reminder of summer, this is the tart I'll turn to.