A Heart for my Valentine

A Heart for my Valentine
Heart shaped Raspberry Lemon Tarts

This month we have a fantastic affair being hosted by 1x umrühren bitte
Where we can make anything for it, anything but it needs to be a heart. It is to help give us inspiration for our valentines, and also to celebrate this month set aside to pay ode to Love. You can see the rest of the awesome entries at the roundup Here.
I decided that I adored the lemon meringue recipe that we used four our January challenge that I wanted to make it again but this time with my own twists.

First I made the tart shells using the dough recipe. I bought this really adorable heart shaped pan that does six at a time. I managed to get the dough recipe to make 12 tarts. If I do it again I'm definitely going to double the recipe and make 24, and I'm going to make the shells a day ahead that way it won't be such a long marathon in the kitchen.

Once I had all the shells baked and cooling I made the custard. The secret to getting the custard to set up right was stirring forever and ever.... and ever... and ever ....and ever.
It takes a lot of arm muscles and you have to cook it long enough, if you don't you end up with soup like many other beloved daring bakers had on their pies. To make the custard I put a quarter of my raspberries mushed and mixed in with the egg mixture and a quarter in with my lemon juice. I put the berries in the cup and then poured the lemon juice on top to the right amount. I also added the vanilla and lemon zest in with the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of marionberry jam. I mushed the berries in both mixes and whisked the egg berry mix pretty good.

The custard was a wonderfully thick delicious berry flavor with the lemon not being to intense (i used a bottle of lemon juice so it wouldn't be so tart vs fresh lemons) The filling was soooooo delicious that I licked the whisks, and the spoons, and the scraper all clean.
Then I made the meringue after adding the sugar I added just two drops of red food coloring so it would turn a pretty shade of pink. The meringue was soo cute on top.
I got out my pastry bag and piped the meringue onto the tarts making little heart swirlys.
Baked it at at 350 for a little longer then the recipe asks for since i wanted them to be a little more evenly baked. Then put them in the fridge to cool.

Then added the raspberries as a finishing touch!! Tada!!!
They look so cute. I have never made such a cute dessert before. I was so excited to take them to my friends house for our Dungeons and Dragons session and see what they think.

Oh little tart you are so Adorable I could just eat you up!!!

Teehee oh and we did.
They were a huge hit with the D&D crew. Everyone thought they were cute, and loved the flavor. They kept asking for seconds; so definitely a big hit.

I love how it looks with the dark pink custard and the light pink meringue. Definitely both turned out in pretty colors.

If you want this recipe for your own definitely check out my previous Daring Baker post for Lemon Meringue Pie. I would definitely recommend the recipe, and my friend wycked and I both found it an easy recipe to modify to make your own flavors of pie.