Low-Carb Lemon Meringue Parfaits

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I got gifted a big bag of lemons recently. Now, this presents a bit of a conundrum for me as I’m sad to report that my husband is not a fan of anything lemon flavoured. (I know! I can’t get my head around it either) He can sniff out a touch of added zest in a dish from 10 paces. I, on the other hand, loooove the sharp bite that you get from a good bit of lemon.

So, what to do? Well, I remember making him a lemon meringue pie way back in the mists of time when we were first seeing each other and him quite liking it. Now, he could have been just being nice, but give me that gap and I will run through it with a lemon in each hand.

Of course, back then it would have been a traditional sugar-laden lemon meringue pie which isn’t going to happen now. So, I played around with different sweeteners and made what felt like a million meringues and curds until I found what I feel is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

The verdict? While he won’t ever claim to love it, hubby said that he enjoyed it more than he expected to. Me? I could eat it for breakfast… but that’s a whole other story.

0 hours, 30 minutes

Hands-on 30 minutes Overall 1 hour

Nutritional values (per parfait)

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

Note: You can make 6 generous parfaits of up to 12 mini parfaits.

Crumb Base:

• 1 cup almond flour (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 3 tbsp Erythritol or Swerve (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• ¹/₄ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (19 g/ 0.7 oz)
• 3 tbsp butter or ghee, melted (43 g/ 1.5 oz)

Lemon Curd:

• 6 large egg yolks
• 100 g butter (3.5 oz)
• ³/₄ cup lemon juice (from 3-4 lemons)
• ¹/₂ cup powdered Erythritol or Swerve (80 g/ 2.8 oz)
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon zest (from 3 lemons)

Note: Original recipe for homemade Lemon Curd is here. You will use the whole recipe (about 420 g/ 14.8 oz) to make 6 parfaits.

Meringue:

• 6 large egg whites (leftover from lemon curd)
• 3 tbsp Xylitol (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• 3 tbsp granulated Erythritol or Swerve (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• ¹/₂ tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
• ¹/₄ tsp cream of tartar

To Assemble:

• 1 cup heavy cream, extra thick ~50% fat, or coconut cream (250 g/ 8.8 oz) - you can make your own from coconut milk.

Instructions

1. Make the crumb base. Preheat oven to 160 °C/ 320 °F (fan assisted), or 180 °C/ 355 °F (conventional). Combine all crumb base ingredients, except lemon zest.
2. Spread out in an even layer on a lined oven tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes (mine took 15 minutes). You need to keep an eye on your crumb as it can go from blonde, to perfectly browned, to burnt to a crisp in a very short time. Stir occasionally to help with even browning.
3. When browned slightly and crispy, remove from the oven and stir the lemon zest through while still hot. The crumbs will crisp up while cooling. Leave to cool completely.
4. Make the lemon curd. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice, sweeteners and lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well in between.
5. Return to the stove and cook over a low heat. Whisk continuously until the curd starts to thicken. Taste for sweetness and add additional sweetener, if desired.
6. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and leave to cool completely.
7. Place a layer of cling wrap directly on the surface of the curd to stop an ugly skin forming. You can add a touch of gelatine to your curd during the cooking process, if you are worried that it won’t set, but I have never had to. It’s up to you.
8. Make the meringue. Make sure that your mixing bowl and beaters are scrupulously clean. Place egg whites into the mixing bowl and whisk on high until they are aerated and fluffy.
9. Add the vanilla extract and cream of tartar and beat well. Slowly add the xylitol and Erythritol, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring that each spoonful is dissolved before adding the next. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
10. Assemble the parfaits. Select some pretty parfait glasses like these.
11. Spoon a layer of crumb base into the bottom of each. Add a layer of lemon curd. Spoon a layer of unsweetened whipped cream on top of the lemon curd. Add another layer each of crumb base and lemon curd. Top with a luxurious layer of the meringue. Use a spoon to swirl the meringue into peaks to assist with the browning. I used a blow torch to brown mine, but you could also pop them into the oven at 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional) until the top browns.
12. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Please note: Glass and heat do not always mix well. So please be cautious when browning your meringue in either way as there is always a small chance that the thin parfait glass may break.

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