Pastry 7 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 pinch sea salt 1 egg 1/8 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup almond flour 1/4 cup potato starch 1 cup rice flour
Filling 5 egg yolks Juice of 5 lemons 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Meringue 3 egg whites 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Directions
Pastry 1. In a mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and salt, and continue beating until creamy, stopping to scrape the bowl often.
2. Add the egg and powdered sugar, and beat until well-incorporated. Gradually add the almond flour and potato starch, and mix until fully incorporated. Once the dough forms, remove from the bowl.
3. Thoroughly mix in the rice flour by hand and form a smooth ball. Wrap the dough in plastic film; refrigerate 1 hour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator; knead it between your hands to soften it a bit. 4. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface.
5. Place the dough onto the paper and cover with a second sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll to 1/4” thickness. Cut into 4-inch circles (adjust for the size of your pans) using a biscuit cutter or 4-inch diameter glass, first dipping the cutting edge into rice flour to prevent the pastry from sticking to the cutter.
6. Place the pastry circles into tartlet pans, trim the edges, and place the tartlets on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325ºF for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly browned, and remove the sheet from the oven; leave the oven on and set to 325ºF.
Filling 1. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice and powdered sugar in a saucepan and whisk over low heat until the mixture thickens. Spread the lemon filling into the baked pastry shells; set aside.
Meringue 1. Using a mixer with a glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue on the tartlets, being sure to seal the edges at each crust. Alternatively, use a pastry bag filled with the meringue to create patterns on the filling.
2. Place the tartlets back into the 325ºF oven on the top rack. Bake for 1 to 2 minutes, until the meringue turns golden brown; a kitchen torch can be used to brown the meringue.
Final step: Chill the tartlets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.
Note: The tartlets can be kept up to 5 days refrigerated in a covered container.