Two more days to the weekend. Somehow, my mood is still quite stable, hasn't gone quite haywire yet.
Or not.
It's Mother's day this weekend. Have you guys plan to bake anything for your mum?
Food Photography is a very very expensive investment.
From cameras, to photo editing software, backdrop, lightings.
Unless you have unlimited funds, otherwise those equipments are going to burn your pocket.
I am rolling my eyes as I type these because I don't have unlimited funds.
Sometimes you really have no time to shoot in the day and you can only depend on natural light to shoot your food.
It's real headache.
The worst thing is, I don't have professional photography friends. So all I can do is to learn it online or read.
I'm trying to look for a budget or DIY food photgraphy lightbox.
I've found quite a few which are quite easy to follow. I wonder how do they think of all these?
So amazing! And I'm thankful.
Because It's really expensive to buy those studio lightings y'know.
Those backdrops you see at my photos are my DIY's.
I didn't do an amazing job, but I'm happy with what I have. Those wooden planks already cost me a bomb, mind you.
I'm going to let out another sigh.
Endless sigh.
Anyway, end of my ranting.
Lemon meringue is good.
Whether it's the meringue or the curd or the pastry.
Sourish, sweet with lemon curd.
Underneath lies a buttery shortcrust pastry.
Damn.
Start off with making the shortcrust pastry first because it needs time to chill.
Then you will make the lemon curd.
Meringue will be the last.
Lemon Meringue Tart
Yields | 8 inch tart
Pastry Crust:
1 1/2 cups - 180grams all purpose flour
2 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon - 90grams unsalted butter, cold
1 egg yolk + 2 to 3 tablespoon water
Pinch of salt
A little egg white for brushing
Lemon Curd :
10 tablespoon - 150ml lemon juice (About 2 1/2 lemons)
Lemon zest from 2 lemons (Avoid the white pith as it is very bitter)
3/4 cup - 150grams sugar
4 egg yolks (medium size)
3 oz - 85grams butter, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Meringue Topping:
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/3 to 1 cup - 60 to 100 grams sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tatar
Directions:
Pastry crust:
Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
Using a pastry cutter or by hand, rub butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in egg yolk mixture and combine to form a dough.
Using a plastic wrap, wrap up the dough it place dough in fridge to chill for about an hour or more.
Roll out dough between baking paper slightly larger then the tart pan.
Transfer the dough sheet to tart pan.
Trim the edges and chill again for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350F/180C.
Remove tart base from fridge and prick the pastry base with a fork and blind bake for 20 minutes.
Remove tart from oven and remove the weights and brush a thin layer of egg white.
Return to oven to bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Leave aside to cool.
Lemond Curd:
Add sugar and lemon zest to a food processor or blender and pulse until the zest is finely ground up with the sugar.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar mixture until fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined.
Add the lemon juice and beat until combined.
**It will look like it curdled but fear not, it will be ok when it starts to cook.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring continuously about 10 to 15 minutes.
**Temperature should read 170F/76C on candy thermometer.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Cover the top of lemon curd to prevent a skin from forming.
Meringue Topping:
In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites till foamy.
Add in cream of tatar.
Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks.
Assemble:
Spread the lemon curd over the cool tart shell.
Pipe or spread the meringue onto the lemon curd.
Place in oven at 400F/205C (top heat) to brown the meringue for 2 minutes.
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