Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C

In a food processor combine the ingredients, blend in 3-5 second pulses for a total of about 45 seconds, just until the dry ingredients combine with the butter and it forms pebbles of dough.

Pour the pebbled crumble mixture into the tart pan. Starting with the outside edges first, begin to mold and sculpt into the tart pan until you have created a uniform shell of even thickness all over. Once the edges are formed, tamper down the center with your fingers, or the back of a small jar.

Place prepared shell on a bake sheet lined with parchment before baking.

Note: if you are in a hurry, it is okay to bake the crust straight away. Know that some butter residue will be left on your parchment lined bake sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes until the edges start to get lightly golden brown.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool while you make the lemon curd.

Note: You can also transfer the pebbled dough to a tea towel and twist into a dough ball using the beggar’s purse method, then roll out the dough very thin and transfer to tart mold and cut off excess crust.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. A fork works well to facilitate blending.

Whisk in the lemon zested sugar, followed by the lemon juice.

Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk until the butter melts. Continue stirring with a rubber spatula until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula, approx. 170°F/76°C on an instant-read thermometer. The final texture will be similar to soft pudding.

Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove zest and any lumps.

Pour the sieved lemon mixture into the cooled crust.

Bake 15 more minutes, until the edges are set but the center still jiggles when shaken. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for 2 hours, overnight, or until ready to garnish. Top with meringue using the reserved egg whites (see other garnish ideas).

In a pot, bring about 1" of water to a simmer. I like to preheat kettle water to speed things up.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the egg whites and sugar. Place the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water to create a double boiler. Keep the flame on low. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.

Heat the egg and sugar mixture while stirring constantly with a whisk until all the sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes, and the temperature reaches 150°F/65°C. When you rub a small amount of the syrup between your fingers, it should be smooth without any grittiness.

Remove the bowl from the pot. Add in the vanilla extract.

Use a stand mixer (speed 6-7) or an electric hand mixer to whisk the egg whites on high speed until it becomes stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip of your choice. Pipe the meringue on top of the lemon filling. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue before serving.

Note: The French Meringue Method warms the sugar in the oven, while first beating the egg whites, the two are beaten together until the grains of sugar dissolve and stiff peaks form.