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This Lemon Meringue Fool is a simple, four-ingredient sweet treat that will absolutely brighten your day. Rich cream and tangy lemon curd get combined with crisp meringue crumbles for a dessert that's ready in a flash. It's pretty awesome.
Even without looking at any of the science that's built up around it, we know by instinct that sunlight improves our quality of life. It's tested and proven that exposure to sunlight gives us vitamin D and can help prevent depression. We didn't need a medical journal, though, to tell us that most of us tend to be at least a little bit happier on sunny days than cloudy ones, especially if you live in a place where sunshine is the exception to the rule.
Of course, as with any element of nature, a certain balance needs to be struck. Too much sun can be damaging, even deadly. From sunburn to heat exhaustion, we know things can go to the other extreme. But especially in early spring, I'm grateful for the return of the sun streaming through my window. It just makes it a little easier to smile.
What makes Lemon Meringue Fool so awesome?
When I need some sunshine energy that's not available from the actual sun, I always look to lemons. This Lemon Meringue Fool is such a simple little treat. From Nigella Lawson's book Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home, it's basically just whipped cream and lemon curd folded together. Add in some crumbled meringue cookies or nests, whatever you can find, for a bit of crunch and pop of sweetness. That's all there is to it.
You think it's gonna be boring, but you're sad when it's gone. It's creamy and bright and tangy, and you just want to keep going back for more. You're smiling, and you don't quite know why. It's not an elaborate pastry or a huge fancy cake. It took 10 minutes to make, but it's so good, you wish you could have it all the time. You just gotta try it.
Magical Properties of Lemons
I intuitively associate lemons with the sun, but some sources indicate they're actually ruled by the moon and asociated with water energy. According to Judika Illes's Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, they're most commonly used in spells for hex-breaking. Like all citrus fruits, they also carry properties of cleansing and purification. Remember that you are the most important part of your magic, so whatever energy you get from lemons is what you should focus on.
For more info on the magical properties of the other ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.
Tips for making Lemon Meringue Fool
This is so simple, you don't even really need to measure if you don't want to. Start by adding some lemon curd to a small bowl and adding a bit of lemon juice to thin it out. You could also just add water if you don't have lemon juice available. I popped mine in the microwave for 10 seconds just to take the chill off. You just want to give it a good stir to smooth it out. This will make it easier to fold into the cream.
Use an electric mixer to whip your cream until it's moderately stiff. Too thin and you'll have lemon cream soup. Too thick and the lemon curd won't incorporate well. But either one still wouldn't be a bad thing. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the thinned out lemon curd until it's incorporated, then crumble in some meringue cookies or nests. Whatever you got. Then spoon it into small dessert cups or ramekins. Store in the fridge if you're not going to serve them right away.
You can substitute the lemon curd for any other flavor of curd you have. Lime, passion fruit, blackberry, whatever you got. I wouldn't use something like jam, though. I don't think it would incorporate properly. You want something with a bit of tartness to cut the richness of the cream.
If something makes you smile, and it's not hurting anyone, you should probably do more of it. Make yourself a Lemon Meringue Fool and see how you feel. I think it'll be pretty awesome.
Looking for more super simple sweet treats? Try this 5 Minute Microwave Lemon Cake or some Nutella Fairy Toast.
PrintLemon Meringue Fool
This Lemon Meringue Fool is a simple, four-ingredient sweet treat that will absolutely brighten your day. Rich cream and tangy lemon curd get combined with crisp meringue crumbles for a dessert that's ready in a flash. It's pretty awesome.
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 150 grams lemon curd
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 250 ml double cream or heavy cream
- 1 meringue nest
Instructions
- Put the lemon curd into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice to thin it out a bit.
- Whisk the cream in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold in the lemon curd mixture.
- Crumble the meringue nest into the mixture and fold in the crumbs.
- Divide the mixture into four dishes or ramekins. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap to eat later.
Notes
- I wouldn't go to too much effort with exact measurements for this recipe. It'll be fine.
Keywords: Lemon Meringue
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