Lemon Meringue Custards

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE CUSTARD
FOR THE MERINGUE
Make the custard:
In a food processor grind the sugar and the zest until the zest is chopped
fine and transfer the mixture to a large saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water, bring
the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is
dissolved, and boil the syrup for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, the cream,
and the salt and cook the mixture until it is hot, but do not let it boil.
In a bowl whisk together the yolks and the whole eggs, add the hot milk
mixture in a stream, whisking, and stir in the lemon juice. Strain the
custard through a fine sieve into twelve 2/3-cup ramekins set in a large
baking pan, add enough hot water the pan to reach halfway up the sides of
the ramekins, and bake the custards in the middle of a preheated 325F. oven
for 40 minutes, or until they are just set. (Alternatively, the custard can
be baked in the same manner in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish for 1
hour, or until it is just set.) Remove the ramekins from the pan, let the
custards cool completely, and chill them, covered loosely with wax paper,
for at least 3 hours. The custards may be made 1 day in advance and kept
covered and chilled.
Make the meringue:
In a small saucepan combine the sugar with 1/3 cup water and bring the
mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup
until it registers 248F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the
heat. While the syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat the
whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. With the mixer
running add the hot syrup in a stream, beat the meringue on medium speed
until it is cool, and beat in the lemon juice.
Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, blot the top
of the custard dry with paper towels, and pipe the meringue decoratively
onto it. Sprinkle the meringue with the dragees, transfer the custards to a
large baking pan filled with ice, and bake them in the top third of a
preheated 450F. oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is golden.
The lemon meringue custards may be made 3 hours in advance and kept in the
large baking pan filled with more ice.
Serves 12.
Gourmet December 1990
Converted by MC_Buster.
Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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