Tarte Au Citron

Roll out half the dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Press it
firmly into an 8-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Trim off excess
dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the overhang back inside the rim,
pressing it to the side of the shell, and push the dough up 1/4-inch above
the edge of the pan. Crimp the edge decoratively with a fork. Roll out
remaining dough and make up another tart shell in the same manner.

Chill the shells for 60 minutes. Line the shells with foil, fill the foil
with rice and bake in the lower third of a preheated 400f oven for 8
minutes. Remove the rice and foil, and bake for 8-10 minutes more or until
they are pale golden. Remove shells from the pans, transfer them to a rack
and let them cool.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar
until the mixture is thick and pale and forms a ribbon. Beat in the zest
and lemon juice. Transfer the mixture to a heavy saucepan. Cook it,
stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, over mod-low heat, until it
registers 140f on a candy thermometer. Continue to cook at a stable 140f
for 3 minutes longer. Do not let it boil. Transfer the mixture to a bowl,
and let it cool, covered with a buttered round of wax paper, until it is
luke-warm.

In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft
peaks. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, one Tbsp at a time, and beat the
meringue until it just hold stiff peaks. Stir a quarter of the meringue
into the lemon mixture and fold in the remaining meringue gently but
thoroughly.

Transfer the tart shells to a baking sheet and fill with the lemon mixture,
mounding it slightly. Bake the tarts in the middle of a preheated 400f
oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and puffed. Transfer
the tarts to a rack and let them cool.