Red Currant Meringue Tart

Perfect for when it’s too hot to turn the oven on, this Red Currant Meringue tart is made with a no bake graham cracker crust, a tart red currant filling, and a soft and sweet meringue on top.

What do red currants taste like? Are they sweet or sour?

Currants are difficult to describe if you’ve never had one but they kind of have a berry flavor like are raspberry but are far more tart and sour than raspberries or blueberries. They are smaller than a blueberry with very thin skin that bursts when you bite it.

What are the three types of meringue?

Italian, Swiss, and French meringue are the three main types of meringue. This recipe is made with Swiss meringue which is where the egg whites are cooked over a pot of simmering water with sugar and then whipped into stiff peaks. Swiss meringue is great because it doesn’t need to be baked and keeps a soft marshmallowy type of texture.

Which meringue should I use for pie?

I prefer to use swiss meringue for a pie because I like that it keeps that soft marshmallowy gooeyness but you could also use Italian Meringue. I wouldn’t recommend french meringue mostly because it should be baked first and the crust and filling won’t do so well in the oven. Torching the meringue is optional but I always think it’s so much fun! Here’s the kitchen torch that I use.

Tart Pan alternatives?

Ideally for this recipe, you want to use a removable base tart pan, such as this one. A standard tart pan is about 9″ or 10″ and this will give you the best looking tart. That being said, I believe you could also use a parchment lined springform pan or a pie pan and just scoop it out!

Additional Recipes to try:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Tart
• Red Currant Cake
• Sour Cherry Tart

Tips for making a Red Currant Meringue Tart

Red Currant Filling

• I recommend cooking the red currants first so they have time to thicken and cool before adding them to the tart crust. If you find that you don’t have enough currants, you can substitute up to 300 grams of the initial currants with raspberries.
• Especially in the beginning, whisk the red currants constantly while they are cooking to keep the cornstarch from clumping.
• To cool down the mixture quickly, pour it into a large shallow dish or baking sheet with edges and place it over a couple ice packs or pop it in the fridge if you have space.

Graham Cracker Crust

• The butter for the crust should ideally be softer than room temperature, even slightly melted, but not fully melted. If it’s too melted the crust will be sticky and hard to press into the form. If this is the case, put it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes and then keep going.
• I prefer to blend the graham crackers rather than smash them with something because it will give you a finer texture and make it easier for the crust to hold together.
• Be sure to really press the crust into the corners where the sides meet the bottom of the pan. Otherwise it can be easy to end up with really thick pastry in the corners.
• I have left this as a no bake crust to keep the oven off but I think it would also be delicious baked. To do so simply bake the tart at 350 F until golden brown and dry(ish) looking. Probably around 20-25 minutes. Once cooled remove it from the pan and then fill it.
• No bake shells can be difficult to get out especially on a warm day. I find that popping it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before trying to remove it can be very helpful.

Meringue

• When making meringue, the most important tip tis to make sure the bowl and whisk are clean and that no egg yolk or shell gets into the egg white. These will all ensure the egg whites whip up.
• Eggs are easiest to separate when they are cold.
• If you don’t have a double boiler, simply place a metal mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. The bowl should be a bit bigger than the top of the pot so that it sits above the simmering water and not in it.
• The easiest way to check and see if the meringue is finished cooking, is to rub the egg whites between your fingers and feel if the sugar has fully dissolved. If you can still feel sugar granules keep cooking, if its smooth you can take it off the heat.

Ingredients

Red Currant Filling

• Granulated Sugar: The reason for granulated sugar is that it mixes well with the corn starch which thickens and sweetens the red currant mixture and keeps the corn starch from clumping.
• Corn Starch: I use standard corn starch to thicken the red currant filling but any powdered starch should work!
• Red Currants: As mentioned in the tips fresh or frozen red currants are best but you can substitute up to 300 grams of the initial red currants with raspberries.

Graham Cracker Crust

• Graham Crackers: Be sure to use traditional graham crackers because other cookies have different butter and moisture contents which can mess with the stability of the crust.
• Butter: Unsalted butter is used for the crust. Ideally you want it really soft but not melted. If you use salted butter just omit the rest of the salt.
• Fine Sea Salt: I use fine sea salt when baking to enhance all of the flavors so I recommend measuring it out.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is essential for the overall flavor of the crust.

Meringue

• Egg Whites: I use standard large eggs but since we are weighing the egg whites you can use any size.
• Granulated Sugar: Granulated white sugar is key to the structure and sweetness of the meringue.
• Fine Sea Salt: A touch of salt balances out the sweetness of the meringue and breaks down the egg.

How to make a Red Currant Meringue Tart

Red Currant Filling

• In a large pot, whisk the cornstarch and sugar together. Pour in the lemon juice and water and whisk to combine.
• Rinse and de-stem the currants and add 500 grams of the currants into the pot. Place over medium low heat, whisking regularly until it starts to bubble. Then cook for another 5-10 minutes until lines hold for at least 1 second on the bottom of the pot.
• Remove the pot from the heat and pour in the remaining currants. Stir to combine.
• Pour the filling into a large shallow dish or spread it onto a baking sheet to allow it to cool faster.

Make the graham cracker crust

• Blend the graham crackers in a blender until they become a fine powder, similar to flour.
• Add the soft butter, sugar, salt and vanilla into a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
• Pour in the ground graham crackers and use a fork to combine. If the mixture is too warm and squishy, simply put it in the fridge for a few minutes to allow the butter to firm up.
• Pour the mixture into the tart pan. Press the crust into the sides of the pan and across the bottom with your fingers. Use your thumb or your pointer finger to really press it into the bottom corner so that you don’t get a super thick pastry corner.
• Place the tart in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
• Once cooled, pour the red currant filling into the tart. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and forming a skin.
• Place the tart in the fridge to set up overnight.

Meringue

• In a large metal mixing bowl (or the bowl portion of a double boiler) add in the egg whites, a pinch of salt, and white granulated sugar.
• In a separate pot (or the bottom of a double boiler) add in two inches of water. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and then turn the heat to low to keep it simmering.
• Place the mixing bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar has dissolved into the egg whites. Check to make sure that the mixture is done cooking by rubbing some of it between your fingers and feeling if the sugar has fully dissolved. If it is fully dissolved, turn off the heat and remove the bowl from the pot.
• Allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes. Use an electric mixer to whip the meringue on high speed until almost stiff peaks form. We’re going for a s’mores marshmallowy kind of texture.

Assemble

• Place the assembled tart in the freezer for about 15 minutes.
• Prep your serving dish or cake stand with a sheet of parchment paper.
• After the 15 minutes have passed, carefully loosen the tart from the pan and press the bottom up and out of the edges.
• Use a thin metal spatula and the tip of a knife to carefully pry the tart away from the pan. Slide the tart off the pan onto the parchment paper. If it just isn’t coming off, you can always leave the tart on the base and if you used a pie pan you can just serve it straight from the pan.
• Spoon the meringue on top of the red currant filling and informally spread it out with the back of a spoon.
• If you have a kitchen torch, toast the top of the meringue just before slicing and serving.
• The tart can be assembled and kept in the fridge without torching for a few hours or honestly up to a day or two.

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