Makes 8 tartlets, 3½” each
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup blanched whole almonds
- 5 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 stick of butter, chilled & cut into ¼" cubes
Curd
- 9 egg yolks (save egg whites for meringue)
- 1 cup sugar
- zest of 2 clementines, divided
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp freshly-squeezed clementine juice (about 3-4 clementines)
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1½ sticks butter, cubed & chilled
Meringue
- 9 egg whites, room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 1¾ cups superfine sugar
Special Equipment
- food processor
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- candy thermometer
- wire cooling rack
- 8 fluted removable-bottom tart pans, size 3½”
- fine mesh strainer
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- piping bag
- hand-held blowtorch
How-to
Make Dough
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Preheat oven to 350º
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Process almonds and sugar in food processor until almonds are finely-ground. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture holds together when squeezed
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Distribute crumb/crust mixture evenly between eight 3½” removable-bottom tartlet pans (about ⅓ cup mixture per pan). Gently press crumb mixture in bottom and up sides, then use a smaller measuring cup or shot glass to press the crust
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Place tart pans on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes
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Place tarts/baking sheet in oven and bake until crust is golden brown and set, 20-25 minutes. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely before removing from pans
Make Curd
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Gently whisk all curd ingredients (except the butter) and the zest of 1 clementine, in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once ingredients are incorporated, switch to using a spatula and stir gently until curd reaches 160º (a candy thermometer is useful to monitor temperature)
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Add chilled butter and stir until all the butter is melted into the curd
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In a medium heat-proof bowl, add zest of a 2nd clementine. Pass curd through a fine-mesh strainer into the bowl, stir to incorporate the fresh uncooked clementine zest, and press plastic wrap right on top of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Place curd in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight to allow it to chill and set
Make Meringue
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Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment
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Start on medium-low speed with a pinch of salt, and allow to whisk until the whites become slightly frothy
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Begin to add 1¾ cups superfine sugar - 1 tbsp at a time. Increase to medium speed, allowing sugar to mix in and dissolve into the whites. Once all sugar is added, increase speed to high, until mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks
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Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip
Assemble Tartlets
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Spoon about ¼ cup chilled clementine curd into each tartlet shells
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Pipe meringue “kisses” atop curd, starting around the outside of the shell, working into the center
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With hand-held blowtorch, toast the top of the meringue until lightly browned. Serve immediately
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