Chamoy Meringue Bars

This delightful treat is inspired by the popular Mexican condiment chamoy. The apricots, ancho chilies and lemon in the chamoy curd balance nicely with the sweet, pillowy meringue. And the buttery shortbread, studded with pecans, makes a perfect base.

Rosemary’s Chamoy Meringue Bars wowed the judges during Biscuits and Bars Week in Season 6 of The Great Canadian Baking Show.

Chamoy Meringue Bars

By Rosemary O’Neill

Ingredients

Cookie Base:

• 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (80 g) cornstarch
• 1⅓ cup (150 g) icing sugar
• 3 cups (432 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup (114 g) chopped pecans, toasted

Chamoy Curd:

• 3 (398 ml) cans apricot halves in light syrup, drained
• ¼ cup (28 g) cornstarch
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225 g) granulated sugar
• 4 ancho chilies
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1½ cups (336 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• Chili-lime seasoning
• 16 egg yolks

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preparation

Cookie Base:

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12-by-16-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cornstarch, icing sugar, flour and vanilla, and mix well. Add the pecans and mix until just combined. Spread the dough evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan and dock it all over with a fork. Bake until it begins to brown around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool. 

Chamoy Curd:

Reserve six apricot halves for garnish. Purée the remaining apricots in the bowl of a food processor.

Measure out 2½ cups of the purée and transfer it to a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add the cornstarch mixture to the purée and whisk to combine. Transfer the reserved purée to a small saucepan and set aside.

Break the ancho chilies into several pieces and add them to the medium saucepan with the purée and cornstarch. Heat the mixture over medium until it starts to bubble. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter and remaining sugar. Stir until melted.

In a large bowl, whisk the yolks. Slowly drizzle a portion of the hot apricot mixture into the eggs to temper them. Add the eggs to the saucepan with the rest of the apricot mixture, and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until the curd has begun to bubble and thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh sieve back into the bowl. Discard the chilies, and add chili-lime seasoning to taste. 

Pour the curd over the cooled crust, sprinkle with chili-lime seasoning, and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Transfer it to the fridge to set, about 2 hours.

Cut the bars into 12 portions using a 3-inch round cutter, or cut them with a knife into thirty-two 2-by-3-inch bars.

Meringue:

When ready to assemble, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on low speed.

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer reads 240 F. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly drizzle the syrup along the inside of the bowl into the egg whites. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the bowl is cool to the touch and the mixture is glossy and thick. 

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice and pipe it onto the tops of the bars. Using a kitchen torch, lightly toast the meringue. 

Use a paper towel to pat dry the reserved apricots, then use a medium round piping tip to cut each apricot into two circles (more if you're doing rectangular bars). with a medium round tip. Place one slice of apricot on each round or bar. Gently warm the reserved purée and brush it over the apricots. Sprinkle with more chilli-lime seasoning if desired.

Makes 12 rounds or 32 bars