Lemon Meringue Pots de Crème
- Total Time
- 40 minutes, plus 2 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
- 2cups half-and-half
- 4large eggs, separated
- ¾cup sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
- 3tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2teaspoons lemon zest
- ½cup lemon juice
- 1tablespoon finely chopped pistachios
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
343 calories; 17 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 37 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 123 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat half-and-half to just under a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or a double boiler. In a mixing bowl, combine egg yolks, ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk well until creamy, a minute or two.
- Step 2
Slowly whisk ½ cup of hot half-and-half into egg-sugar mixture, then add remaining half-and-half and mix well. Pour back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until custard is thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. Spoon custard into 6 4-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to several hours. (May be done even a day ahead.)
- Step 3
Combine chopped pistachios with 1 tablespoon sugar. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put egg whites in mixing bowl and add 3 remaining tablespoons sugar. Beat whites to stiff peaks. Spoon a pile of meringue onto each custard-filled ramekin, using all the meringue. Sprinkle with pistachio-sugar mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are browned. (May be baked just before guests arrive, then kept at room temperature until time for dessert.)
Private Notes
Comments
When cooking a liquid with cornstarch it is necessary for the mixture to reach the boiling point just briefly to activate its thickening power--a few seconds is enough, no more than 20-30. If held longer at that temp the cornstarch bonds will begin to loosen and break down, thinning the mixture. The acids in lemon juice will weaken the starch bonds further as the mixture cools.
Potato starch works better without any of those issues. The other fix is to be meticulous about the timing.
I made this last night and can't figure out why there's liquid in the dish. I let the custard set in the fridge for about 6 hours and then made the meringue as instructed, baked it, let it cool, but when you dig your spoon in there's a lot of liquid sitting below the surface of the custard (not the meringue).
It tastes good, but the liquid is a bummer.
What is 'half and half?'
Is it 1/2 milk and 1/2 cream?
Made this today. The flavor was great we used our Meyer lemons. I think the custard would be better if it was cooked for 15 or 20 before adding the meringue. It was too runny. Will make again
I was craving a lemon dessert and happened upon this sublime and relatively easy recipe. It's creamy, not too sweet and not too tart, and so very delicious. The meringue topping and sugared pistachios make it special! A little note: If you don't have pistachios, slivered almonds work just fine.
Made this and it was delicious! When cooking the meringue top, I put the filled ramekins in a water bath in a large lipped pan so the cremes wouldn’t separate as others mentioned. It worked great. BUT… my the meringue wept leaving a layer of liquid between the meringue and the crème. I think it might have been because the meringues didn’t go to the edge of the ramekins. Did anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions?