Strawberry Lemon Meringue Hamentashen

March 15, 2016

Over the years I have made all kinds of different kinds of hamentashen, from super traditional to crazy and out there. (For a full list of all my different hamentashen recipes be sure to check out my new Purim page!) While I love hamentashen in any form, this year I wanted to make something a little bit different.

These Strawberry Lemon Meringue Hamentashen are certainly not traditional. Instead of the standard cookie dough surrounding the filling, these are made from baked meringue shells and filled with luscious strawberry lemon curd. The crunch of the meringue is offset with the sweet creaminess of the filling to yield a totally delightful cookie that everyone is sure to enjoy. Naturally gluten-free, these make a nice addition to a hamentashen platter.

I filled these meringue hamentashen with strawberry lemonade curd because strawberry season is just starting here an I wanted to highlight the fruit of the season, but any curd would make a delicious filling. Rhubarb, passion fruit, lime, meyer lemon, raspberry, the possibilities are truly unlimited.

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Ingredients & Quantities

For the Meringue Nests

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • pinch of cream of tartar
  • Scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar
 

For the Strawberry Lemon Curd

  • 8 ounces hulled strawberries, pureed
  • 1 tablespoon (.5 oz) freshly grated lemon zest
  • ½ cup (4 oz) fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ cup (5.6 oz) sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) refined coconut oil

Preparation Instructions

To make the Meringues:

Draw two inch triangles on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn the paper over, and place on a baking sheet; set aside.

Preheat oven to 200° F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat on medium-low speed until soft peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce to low speed and gradually sprinkle the sugar over the whites. Increase the speed to high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from stand mixer.

Fit a pastry bag with a large star or plain pastry tip and fill pastry bag with meringue. Holding the pastry bag vertically, pipe along the borders of one of the triangles. Use the pastry bag to fill in the center of the triangle, using the tip to spread the meringue all the way to the edges of the triangle. You should have a solid meringue triangle. Pipe another layer of meringue on top of the edges of the triangle so that the edges are higher than the middle and there is a a rim around the edge. Repeat with the remaining triangles.

Transfer the baking sheet to oven, and bake for 1 hour. Reduce temperature to 175° F, and continue to bake until meringue has dried but is still white, about 1 1/2 hours more. Turn off oven and leave the meringue nests in for at least two hours to dry, preferably overnight. Once dry the meringues can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.

To make the curd:

Place a fine mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and set a side.

Combine the strawberry puree, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk well to thoroughly combine. Add the egg yolks and whisk gently until the mixture smooth and uniform.

Place the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula , until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula. It should be about 165 degrees. Immediately scrape the curd into the strainer. Gently stir the curd to push it though the strainer into the bowl. Gently stir in the oil. Cover the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least two hours. Curd can be made ahead kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. Any leftover curd is fantastic stirred into yogurt, dolloped on pound cake, or spooned over ice cream.

3 Comments

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