Lemon meringue tart yule log

Ingredients

Biscuit:

• 4.5 oz biscuits
• 1 oz butter

Madeleine:

• 2.3 oz butter
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 egg
• 1.5 oz sugar
• 2 tsp honey
• 2.3 oz flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 Tbsp milk

Lemon curd:

• 6 oz lemon juice
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 6.3 oz eggs (3-4)
• 4 oz sugar
• 4 g gelatin (2 sheets)
• 3 oz softened butter

Italian meringue:

• 3 oz egg whites
• 6 oz sugar
• 2 oz water

Materials

• Yule log mold 10 x 2.4 x 2 inches
• Flexible spatula
• Spatula
• Plastic wrap
• Cake pan 8.7 x 4.3 inches
• Thermometer

Preparation

• Biscuit base :
  Mash all the biscuits and mix with melted butter. Pour this mix into the yule log mold (with plastic wrap). Freeze for 30 minutes.
• Madeleine :
  Melt butter with salt, vanilla, and lemon zest (you can melt it in the microwave or in a double boiler). Mix flour and baking powder.
  
• Whisk the egg, sugar, and honey until the mixture doubles in volume. Scoop out a portion of the mixture and incorporate it into the melted butter.
• Pour this butter mixture into the egg, sugar, and honey bowl. Gradually incorporate the flour and baking powder mixture using a spatula. Add the milk and mix.
  
• Pour the madeleine batter into a lined or greased cake mold and bake for 9 minutes at 200°C (390°F). Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• Lemon curd :
  Rehydrate the gelatin in cold water.
  Mix sugar and eggs. Add lemon juice and zest, mix, and thicken in a water bath for 5 minutes.
  
• Add the drained gelatin and softened butter, and mix well.
• Assembly :
  Pour the lemon curd into the yule log mold.
  
• Cut the madeleine to have clean edges. Place the madeleine on the lemon curd and press down so that the curd rises on the edges. Cover with a light layer of curd.
• Place the reconstructed biscuit on top and press to make the curd rise. Cover with a light layer of curd and smooth with a spatula. Freeze for at least 1 hour.
  
• Italian meringue :
  Meringue : Whisk the egg whites gently (speed 1-2).
• Syrup : Put the sugar and water in a pot. Heat the syrup to 116°C (240°F).
  
• When the syrup reaches 116°C, whisk the egg whites quickly until they form soft peaks. Pour the syrup at 118°C in a thin stream into the egg whites while continuing to whisk until the mixture cools.
• Cover the yule log with meringue. Finally, torch the meringue.
  
• And there you have it, your lemon meringue yule log is ready!

Observations

You can replace gelatin with agar-agar: replace 4 g of gelatin with 1 g of agar-agar.

Put your yule log mold in the freezer before using: your mold will be cold and your yule log will thus be ready more quickly.

You can prepare the yule log in advance up to step 10 and leave it in the freezer for up to 3 months. However, the meringue should be made just before covering the yule log.

The meringue:

For a perfect texture, feel free to work your meringue with a spatula to keep it nice and smooth.

You can keep your Italian meringue for up to three days in the fridge. Meringue does not freeze.

We recommend decorating the yule log on the same day so the meringue holds its shape well (it is possible to cover it the day before, but it may release some water).

Cookware

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe