⏱ Prep: 20 min 🔥Bake: 30–40 min 👤Serves: 8 🍋Style: Biscuit crustSouth
African lemon meringue tart is a tea-time favorite built differently from most lemon meringue pies, instead of a flour pastry and cooked custard, it leans on a crushed biscuit crust and a filling that’s simply condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks whisked together. No stovetop cooking the filling, no cornstarch slurry, it sets as it bakes, which makes the whole thing far less fussy than it looks. Top it with billowy meringue, bake until golden, and you have the tart that shows up at every South African tea party.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 200g Tennis Biscuits, crushed, the classic choice; plain digestive biscuits or graham crackers work as a substitute
- 100g butter, melted
For the filling
- 1 tin (385g) condensed milk
- 3 egg yolks, reserve the whites for the meringue
- 125ml fresh lemon juice, about 3–4 lemons
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
For the meringue
- 3–4 egg whites
- 125ml caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, helps stabilize the meringue
Step by step
- Make the crust. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter until well combined. Press firmly into a tart dish, covering the base and sides. Chill for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling. Whisk the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt together until smooth and slightly thickened. Pour into the chilled crust.
- Bake the filling. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the filled tart for 15–20 minutes, until just set.
- Make the meringue. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the caster sugar, beating continuously, until stiff and glossy peaks form.
- Top and bake again. Spoon the meringue onto the hot filling in peaked dollops, making sure it touches and seals the edges of the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly golden.Sealing the meringue against the crust edges keeps it from shrinking away as it bakes and cools.
- Cool and serve. Let the tart cool completely before slicing, then chill if the weather is warm. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Why the filling sets without cooking
The acid in fresh lemon juice reacts with the proteins in condensed milk and egg yolks, thickening the mixture without any stovetop cooking required, it’s the same trick that sets a classic key lime pie. A short bake firms everything up the rest of the way.
Make it your own
Claire’s note
If your meringue tends to weep in the fridge, that’s completely normal, it’s the sugar releasing a little syrup over time, and it doesn’t affect the taste. For the cleanest slices, use a wet knife and wipe it between cuts. This tart is best enjoyed within a day or two; the meringue softens the longer it sits.
Serve with
South African lemon meringue tart is the classic centerpiece for a tea party, served alongside rooibos tea or coffee. For more from the South African collection the complete South african recipes guide has it all.
Add South African lemon meringue tart to your weekly meal planner as the dessert for your next gathering. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.
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South African Lemon Meringue Tart
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A delightful South African dessert featuring a buttery biscuit crust, a smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy meringue topping, perfect for tea parties.
Ingredients
- 200g Tennis Biscuits, crushed
- 100g butter, melted
- 1 tin (385g) condensed milk
- 3 egg yolks, reserved from the meringue
- 125ml fresh lemon juice (about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- 3–4 egg whites
- 125ml caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Make the crust. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter until well combined. Press firmly into a tart dish, covering the base and sides. Chill for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling. Whisk the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt together until smooth and slightly thickened. Pour into the chilled crust.
- Bake the filling. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the filled tart for 15–20 minutes, until just set.
- Make the meringue. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the caster sugar, beating continuously, until stiff and glossy peaks form.
- Top and bake again. Spoon the meringue onto the hot filling in peaked dollops, making sure it touches and seals the edges of the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 10–15 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly golden.
- Cool and serve. Let the tart cool completely before slicing, then chill if the weather is warm. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
If your meringue tends to weep in the fridge, that’s completely normal. Use a wet knife for clean slices. Best enjoyed within a day or two.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: South African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
