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3 cups finely ground store-bought shortbread cookies (about 12 ounces)

5 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

4 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Boil the tangerine-orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it has reduced to about 1 cup, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

2. Pulse cookies, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and ¼ cup sugar in a food processor until thoroughly combined. With processor running, add melted butter; process until combined. Press cookie mixture evenly into bottom, up sides, and onto rim of a 10-inch pie plate. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Put lemon juice into a small bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, ½ cup sugar, the juice reduction, and the remaining 2 teaspoons zest in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes (do not let boil). Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture, and whisk until gelatin has dissolved completely.

4. Transfer gelatin mixture to a large bowl. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until cool and thick enough to hold a ribbon on surface, 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Put egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar; beat until stiff but not dry peaks form. Fold egg-white mixture into gelatin mixture in 3 batches, folding until just combined after each addition. Pour into cooled crust. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight, before serving.

lemon tartlets with meringue caps

MAKES ABOUT 20

for the shells

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 large egg whites, room temperature

½ cup sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the meringue caps

3 large egg whites, room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

for the lemon curd

6 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest plus ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons total)

¾ cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Make the shells: Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg whites, 1 at a time. Mix in flour and vanilla.

2. Spoon 1 scant teaspoon batter onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Using the back of the spoon, spread into a 3-inch round. Repeat 4 times. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies, 1 at a time, to inverted small tartlet shells or brioche molds; gently press to shape. Let set, about 30 seconds. If cookies become too cool to shape, return them to the oven for 20 seconds. Repeat with remaining batter. (The shells can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.)

3. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F. Make the meringue caps: Put egg whites and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until sugar has dissolved. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and meringue is cool, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 7/16-inch star tip (such as Ateco #825). Pipe twenty 1¼-inch-round, 2-inch-high spirals onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing about 1 inch apart. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 150°F. Bake until dry but not brown, about 2 hours more. Transfer meringues to a wire rack; let cool completely. (The meringues can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.)

4. Make the curd: Whisk egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, and sugar in a heavy,