Lemon Meringue Pie is Craig's favourite desert. So I've made it my mission to perfect the recipe. Pastry has always been my downfall, but after many a tart and pie coming out of my oven I think I've finally cracked it.
The last time I made this pie, my pastry leaked and my meringue was basically marshmallow; it wasn't my finest baking hour. This time around, everything seemed to work out okay. Its still not perfect, but third times the charm right?
I used Paul Hollywood's recipe, and if you see a picture of Paul's you'll know why!
Ingredients:
for the Pastry:
400g plain flour
1tsp salt
200g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
2tbsp caster sugar
100-125ml ice cold water
1 egg, beaten with a splash of milk, for glazing
for the Lemon Curd Filling:
6 large lemons
230g caster sugar
pinch of salt
80g cornflour
12 medium egg yolks
230g unsalted butter, softened
for the Meringue:
6 medium egg whites
280g caster sugar
1tsp cornflour
1tsp lemon juice
Method:
Put the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the chilled butter and pulse until it forms small chunks, just under the size of a pea.
Slowly add the water while pulsing the food processor until the pastry holds together when squeezed. Tip the dough onto the work surface and gently knead together. Flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Have a cuppa.
Roll out your pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a large round about 3mm thick. Use the pastry to line a 23cm tart tin, leaving the excess pastry hanging over the edge. Prick the base all over with a fork, then chill the pastry case for 30 minutes. Have a snack.
Heat your oven to 180C, line the pastry case with parchment and baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and baking beans, brush the pastry case with eggwash and return to the oven for a further 5-8 minutes until the pastry case is dry and the edges are just golden. Trim off the rough edges and set the pastry case aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 140C.
Next finely grate the zest of 2 lemons then mix this with the sugar, salt and cornflour in a saucepan. Squeeze the juice from all 6 lemons, strain into the saucepan and beat into the sugar mixture. Heat gently, stirring often, until thickened. This will take a while, but bear with it!
Take off the heat and beat in the egg yolks, then cook gently again, stirring until thick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Pour the lemon filling into the baked pastry case.
For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they hold soft peaks. Now beat in the sugar, 1tbsp at a time. When all the sugar is incorporated, carry on beating for 3-4 minutes until the meringue is really glossy. Fold in the cornflour and lemon juice.
Spoon the meringue over the lemon filling in the tart - it will look billowy and cloud like!
Bake for about an hour, until the meringue topping is crisp and lightly golden. Leave to cool completely before serving (if you can!), dusted with icing sugar.
(adapted from Paul Hollywood's How To Bake)
This recipe is fairly long-winded, with the three main parts. But, it's totally worth it and looks so impressive. Once you have it mastered, its a great one to whip out for dinner parties or any social occasion!
Let me know if you try it! :)
Aimée
Xxxx
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