A Lemon Meringue Custard Cookie Sandwich

A Little Bit of Sweet + A Little Bit of Citrus = Lemon Meringue Cookie Sandwich

Simply said – I love meringues (bonus: they are gluten-free).

Making and eating homemade meringues is one of my first memories of baking with my Mom, this will always remain one of my favorites to make and savor.

The perfect crispy, cookie sandwich – a little sweet and tangy makes for a perfect treat!

Ingredients:

For Lemon Meringue Cookies:

• 2 large egg whites at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of Cream of Tartar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Lemon Custard:

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

For Lemon Meringue Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Use whisk attachment and beat egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy.
3. Add the salt and cream of tartar.
4. More foam will start to form.
5. Slowly add sugar – one tablespoon sprinkle at a time (patience will pay off in this step).
6. Once sugar is fully added, then increase mixer speed to high.
7. The mixture will become thick and glossy and become the consistency of melted marshmallow.
8. Do not over mix, so as soon as the mixture reaches the consistency with stiff peaks, then stop the mixer.
9. Use spatula to fold in the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
10. Use piping bag with star decorating tip to pipe the meringue onto the baking sheet (parchment paper or foil is fine – I use a silpat)
11. Pipe approximately 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of meringue on the baking sheet creating stars that are close together (they do not expand in the oven).
12. Optional: use bent spatula or spoon to flatten half of the pipped meringues to use as the bottom half of the sandwich (if you want the completed meringue sandwiches to stand straight).
13. Bake meringues for two hours (the meringues should be firm and crispy).
14. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For Lemon Custard:

1. In medium saucepan, whisk fresh lemon juice and zest, sugar, eggs and egg yolks, and pinch of salt over medium-low heat.
2. Add the stick of butter and continuously stir mixture and make sure to scrap the bottom to avoid any curd to stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Once the mixture is thickened it is done and can be removed from heat (however if it starts to boil, it is fine and done cooking).
4. Press mixture through a fine mesh strainer into bowl (this step is important to remove the zest and any cooked egg bits).
5. Allow curd to cool to room temperature and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembly of Lemon Meringue Cookies:

1. Use approximately 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd for each cookie sandwich.
2. Place in freezer for 20 to 60 minutes.
3. Serve immediately (meringues will start to wilt and lose the crispiness).

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker.