Every season brings us something new, whether we planned it or not. However, with everything new a season brings, it is inevitable, and because it is, we have two choices; to accept it as God’s will or fight the will of God.
This year’s Spring season feels like a new beginning. It’s beautiful, the dull flowers, trees and crops that were fighting for their existence during the brutal cold, windy and forever raining winter season, are now blossoming and thriving, as if they are showing off to the haters of their world.
They are making many envious, as if they did something that was never done before. They ask; why are you so beautiful? Why can’t I be like you? What did you do different? Why you? Who do you think you are? Why are you so different from us?
And the blossoming ones answered: “we fought to survive by minding our business.”
“… we didn’t ask why us when facing trials and tribulations…”
“…… we knew that everything is seasonal and it was our time to face our fair share of troubles…”
“….. to you, it might look like we have an easy way out, because you don’t see our behind the scenes, when we faced storms, we lost all our leaves, our roots were forever cold, wet and flooded with water. Winter bugs were having a feast eating our roots little by little. However, because our master had faith in us and didn’t throw us away as she believed that, ‘we shall weather all storms and all seasons, because, everything happens as it should.’ We survived, the sun came in the morning, our roots became stronger again, the stems got its nutrition, the leaves sprouted again and we blossomed.”
“But you, you only saw the blossoms and became envious. Are you also envious of the storms we faced? Are you envious of our trials and tribulations? Are you envious of the bugs that nearly killed us?”
And the envious one answered: “I’m sorry, I only wanted what you have without putting in the work, I’m sorry I was short sighted.”
The end.
Life is constantly moving forward and changing, like seasons, during the Winter season, Spring is knocking saying “I’m here too, move away Winter”.
We shall learn not to make permanent decisions during seasonal problems we get, but above all, we need discernment.
Welcoming Spring with a Lemon Meringue
Ingredients
Pastry
- 220 g Cake Flour or all purpose
- 50 g Almond Flour
- 50 g Icing Sugar
- 130 g Butter, cold unsalted or salted
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- Pinch of Salt if you are not using salted butter
Lemon Curd
- 5 Large Eggs
- 3 Large Egg Yolks
- Zests of 2 – 3 Lemons
- 205 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 200 g Butter
The Meringue
- 4 Large Egg Whites
- 80 g Castor or Icing Sugar
Instructions
For the Pastry
- In a mixing bowl, rub butter (using fingertips) into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs or sandy texture.Add the egg yolk and egg to bring it into a dough.
- Mix, kneading slightly until it comes together. Wrap the dough with cling wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200℃.
- Place the pastry dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll into a circle that is larger than your quiche pan. If it’s too cold/stiff to roll out, leave it for 5 to 15 minutes then continue.
- Line the quiche pan and freeze again for 15 minutes, this is for in case the dough is overworked and the butter is no longer cold.
- Remove the pastry from the fridge. Prick the pastry in the pan with a fork. Line with baking paper and pour in baking beans.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the baking beans and paper and bake again for a further 10 minutes, or until the base is dry and firm.
Lemon Curd
- Place all eggs and egg yolks, sugar, lemon zests in a mixing bowl or jug and pour in the lemon juice and whisk to combine.
- Place a medium saucepan on the stove over medium heat, pour the mixture and cook, stirring for few minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to slightly thicken.
- Gradually add the butter cubes, stirring continuously until melted all is melted Continue to cook, stirring continuously until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain immediately into a mixing bowl or jug, and transfer into the mason jars, allow it to cool completely, then refrigerate.
The Meringue
- Using an electric whisk, beat the egg whites while gradually adding sugar. Continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy.
Assembling and Baking
- Preheat the oven to 180℃.
- Spread lemon curd filling into the baked crust.
- The spread meringue on top of the filling.
- Try not do what I did, and spread your meringue all the way to the edges of tart shell, to prevent the meringue from weeping.
- Bake for 15 to 25 minutes.
- Place in the fridge to set overnight or for 8 hours.
Video
