Black lemon tart with meringue sphere & basil oil

– A modern dessert dream with a classic foundation and avant-garde flair –

Très raffiné! As part of our motto “Star Cuisine at Your Own Stove,” we take you today into the world of modern French pâtisserie – with a dessert that rearranges traditional flavors: Black lemon tart with meringue sphere and basil oil. A sweet temptation that delights both visually and in taste and has the potential to be the crowning finale of a fine dinner.

---

✨ Why this dessert is a star

The Tarte au citron meringuée is a French classic – lemony, sweet, with a crispy base and fluffy topping. Our modern version offers:

• The deep, almost balsamic citrus note of fermented black lemon (loomi),
• a crispy tartlet base made from almond shortcrust pastry,
• a rich, velvety Crème au citron noir,
• an airy meringue sphere that melts on the tongue,
• and an aromatic, fresh green basil oil as a contrasting crowning touch.

A small work of art both visually and in taste – and easier to prepare than it looks.

---

🛒 Ingredients (for 4 tartlets)

For the shortcrust pastry (Pâte sucrée):

• 200 g flour (type 405 or pâtisserie)
• 100 g cold butter (in cubes)
• 80 g powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 30 g ground almonds
• 1 egg (size M)

For the lemon cream (Crème au citron noir):

• 150 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 black lemon (dried/fermented, finely grated or ground)
• 120 g sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp cornstarch (optional)
• 100 g cold butter, diced

For the Meringue Spheres:

• 2 egg whites
• 100 g fine sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• Plastic wrap/half-sphere molds or piping bag with round tip

For the Basil Oil:

• 1 bunch basil
• 100 ml mild olive oil
• 1 pinch of salt

---

👨‍🍳 Preparation

1. Bake the Pâte Sucrée

1. Combine all dry ingredients.
2. Quickly incorporate cold butter (by hand or stand mixer) until a sandy dough forms.
3. Mix in the egg, knead quickly, press flat and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Roll out dough (3 mm), place in tart molds, blind bake at 180 °C (10 min with parchment paper + legumes, then 10 min without) until golden yellow.
5. Let cool.

---

2. Black Lemon Cream

1. Whisk lemon juice, sugar, eggs, yolk, and grated black lemon in a pot over medium heat.
2. Heat while stirring until the cream thickens (approx. 82 °C).
3. Remove from heat, stir in butter piece by piece, blend smooth.
4. Fill into cooled tartlets, smooth the surface, chill for 1 hour.

---

3. Meringue Sphere

1. Beat egg whites with salt and lemon juice, gradually add sugar, whip until stiff.
2. Spread into silicone half-spheres or pipe half-spheres onto parchment paper.
3. Dry in convection oven at 90–100 °C for approx. 2 hours, until they can be easily removed.
4. Join two half-spheres to form a sphere (stick together with some meringue).

---

4. Basil Oil

1. Blanch basil (10 sec in boiling water), shock in ice water, pat dry.
2. Blend finely with the oil, strain through a cloth, season with salt.
3. Prepare in a pipette or small bottle.

---

5. Plating à la Grand Chef

1. Place tartelettes on dessert plates.
2. Position the meringue sphere in the center or to the side.
3. Drip basil oil dropwise or as a line around the tart.
4. Optional: lemon zest, dried flowers, meringue crunch or microgreens as a finish.

---

🍷 Wine Recommendation & Serving Tip

A dessert wine with citrus & honey notes, e.g. a Sauternes or Jurançon moelleux, pairs excellently. Alternatively: a dry Crémant with basil leaves in the glass for a surprising aroma bridge.