The all new lemon meringue

I’ve been trying to adopted a Swedish mindset to this chilly spring we’ve been having. Just this weekend, I was listening to Rick Steves and his weekly radio show. This is a dangerous program for me because my love of travel is always piqued by his interviews with tour guides and residents of faraway cities. His subject for a portion of this week’s show was Stockholm, Sweden. This city has not been on the top of my travel list, but I was intrigued by the descriptions of its residents and their tendency towards an outdoor lifestyle, no matter what the season. The tour guide described cozy restaurant patios where you could go to enjoy a drink, complete with toasty blankets for those evenings a little extra warmth is needed.

This was all of the motivation I needed to pull out a cozy blanket from the closet and head out to the patio. It’s really not that warm yet, but when the sun starts to shine, I feel like I really must be outside to enjoy it. And now, wrapped up in blankets, we’ve been enjoying brief slivers of sunset sky before heading indoors for the evening.

If you’ve been reading along, you’ll know that I’ve had a bit of spring fever in the kitchen recently. The changing seasons make me look for the next dish that is going to sum up the flavor of the moment for me. Salads of all proportions have been popping up—platters and bowls that take over the meal with their green crunchiness and leafy goodness. But spring isn’t wholly captured in a salad bowl. The other thing I’m searching for is food that feels light after a season of warm and filling. Hmm…meringue, anyone? It’s time for one last hurrah for the citrus, and quickly, before the rhubarb takes over the place.

For years, I’ve been sidestepping the crust on any piece of pie that I’ve ever been served. Sure, I love the fillings—spicy pumpkin, luscious summer cherry and creamy lemon. Better still the toppings, a dollop of whip cream, scoop of ice cream or an airy cap of meringue. But no matter what the filling, my perfect pie would certainly be crust free.

So I do find myself a little surprised to have never really considered the option of deconstructing the pie, leaving the crust behind to focus on my favorite part of the dessert. But all that has changed when I found the recipe for lemon meringue pots de crème in The New York Times a few weeks back. I’ve got some lost time to make up for now!

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Adapted from The New York Times

1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
4 large eggs, separated, room temperature
3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup lemon juice
Zest of one large lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios

Heat half and half and milk in a heavy saucepan or a double-boiler until warm and steaming. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar. Sift the cornstarch and salt into the mixture, stirring frequently to prevent lumps.

Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture, then slowly add the remaining milk and mix well. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice and zest. Ladle the custard into 6 4-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pistachios and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Combine egg whites and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue onto each custard, using all of the meringue. Sprinkle with the pistachio-sugar mixture. Bake until tops are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve.