Apple Meringue Tarts

These simple little apple tarts topped with meringue are tasty eaten warm or cold. Serve them with vanilla yogurt or cream. This recipe will make slightly more apple puree than you need for the tarts, but it keeps for a few days in the fridge.

You Will Need:
7 oz ready-made pastry crust
2-3 apples
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

For the meringue:
1 large egg white
3 tbsp superfine sugar

Makes 6 Tarts

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Cut 6 circles from the pastry using a 3-3 1/2 inch round cutter to cut out 6 circles of pastry and use these to line muffin pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
2. Peel, chop, and cook the apples in the water over a medium heat until soft and fairly dry. Remove from the heat, stir in 1 tbsp sugar and the lemon juice.
3. Let the apples cool a little, then mash them into small pieces. Spoon approx. 1 tbsp of the apple puree into the pasty cases and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
4. While the bases are baking, make the meringue. Whisk the egg white to stiff peaks. Whisk in 1 tbsp sugar, then whisk in the remaining sugar. You should have a stiff, glossy meringue.
5. Remove the tarts from the oven and pipe or spoon the meringue onto the apple avoiding the edge of the tin. Return to the oven and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes before lifting the tarts carefully from the tin (run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen, if necessary) . Serve warm or cold. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 24 hours.