Lemon meringue pie

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Lemon Meringue pie

This is a recipe I converted for a more interesting taste. If you make without the sugar in the curd, it really needs the sweet case. What you end up with is a sweet taste sandwiching the sharp lemon.

This was a set of evolutions: I started putting less and less sugar in the meringue and the curd until the texture was light and fluffy but the lemon had some bite. Not for the faint hearted but once tried, other pies seem tame. Contents

Pastry Ingredients

4oz. shortcrust pastry (or pre-bought sweet pastry case)

• 4 oz plain flour.
• 2 oz butter.
• 1 egg yolk (from the eggs used for the meringue).
• 0.75 oz icing sugar.
• 1tbsp cold water.

Directions

1. Mix between speed 1 and 2 in food processor until a ball forms.
2. Cool for 20 mins before rolling out (could be done the night before).
3. Roll out the pastry and line a 7" flan case or deep pie plate.
4. Trim the edges and bake towards the top of a hot oven (220°C, 200°C (fan), gas mark 7) for 15 minutes.

Lemon curd

• 4oz. sugar (optional).
• 3 level tbsps corn flour.
• 5 fl.oz. water.
• 2 eggs yolks.
• Juice and rind of 3 lemons.

Directions

While the pastry is baking...

1. Mix the corn flour with the water in a saucepan.
2. Add the lemon juice and rind and bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the mixture thickens.
3. Then add the 4oz sugar if desired - or swap for an extra spoon of corn flour for weight.
4. Remove from the heat, cool slightly and add the egg yolks.
5. Spoon into pastry case.

Meringue

• 2.5oz caster sugar.
• 2 egg whites, from the separated eggs used in the curd.

Directions

1. Having separated the eggs into a litre pyrex measuring jug, whisk the egg whites stiffly using a hand blender whisk, whisk in half the caster sugar and once incorporated, whisk in the rest.
2. Add to flan and curd as the top layer.
3. Now bake: pile the meringue on top of the lemon and bake in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes at (350°F, 180°C (fan), gas mark 4) or until the meringue is crisp and lightly browned.

Decorate before serving, if desired.

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