Lemon Meringue, Sage and Hazelnut Tartlets

Ingredients

Biscuit base:

100g plain biscuits

50g hazelnuts, roasted

1 tbsp maple syrup

3 tsp Westgold Unsalted Butter, melted

Lemon curd filling:

3 eggs, beaten

2 yolks

125g Westgold Unsalted Butter 

150g sugar

⅓ c lemon juice

Zest of 2 lemons

Cream cheese filling:

250g cream cheese

1 tsp fresh sage, chopped

2 tbsp icing sugar

2 tbsp milk

Italian meringue:

2 egg whites

125g caster sugar

40ml water

2 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

Biscuit base:

Line 8 small tartlet moulds (7-8cm) with plastic wrap.

Place biscuits and hazelnuts into a food processor and blend until fine crumbs.  Add melted butter and maple syrup and pulse until well mixed.

Press firmly into the moulds using the back of a spoon and refrigerate to set.  While the bases are setting, make the fillings.

To make the lemon curd:

Place a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and melt the butter, sugar, lemon juice and zest together. Whisk in the eggs and yolks and continue whisking constantly until the mixture is thickened and glossy.  Strain through a sieve to remove the zest. 

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool, then refrigerate.

To make the cream cheese filling:

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth.  Refrigerate until needed.

Place the egg whites in an electric mixer and start to beat on medium speed. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and place on a high heat.  Boil the water and sugar together until it reaches 121^oC on a thermometer.

Take off the heat and slowly pour the hot syrup onto the stiffly beaten egg white and continue to beat until thick, glossy and cooled. 

Spoon into a piping bag ready to pipe onto the tartlets.

To finish the tartlets: 

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into the bottom of the biscuit tart bases. 

Spoon the lemon curd onto the cream cheese mixture. 

Pipe on the meringue and lightly brown using a blow torch or grill.

Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Unmould the tarts and remove the plastic wrap.  Place on a serving platter and decorate with extra fresh sage, hazelnuts and lemon wedges if desired. Serve.