Lemon Meringue Pie

Or should I say 

Lemon cream meringue pie

Who doesn't like lemon meringue pie??

RECIPE

For 28cm flan tin

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

250g flour

130g butter cubed and cold from the fridge

tspn cold water

METHOD

grease your tin and line bottom with greaseproof paper

put butter and flour into food processor

blend until you get breadcrumb texture

add tspn of water and blend until it comes together

you may need to add another teaspoon of water

Tip out onto cling film (seran wrap) 

and pat together

refrigerate for at least 30 mins

 after 30 mins remove from fridge and leave for 10 mins to reach room temp

roll to circle big enough to line your tin

Line your tin and bake blind 

(if you need instructions on that click HERE )

leave to cool 

While your case is baking you can make the lemon curd cream

LEMON CURD CREAM
75g butter

150g sugar

zest and juice of 3 lemons

1 egg

2 egg yolks

 75ml double cream

place butter, sugar, zest and juice into saucepan and heat gently until sugar is dissolved

Place eggs and egg yolk into bowl and beat well

pour egg mixture in a slow steady stream into butter mixture stirring constantly 

keep heat very low

continue stirring until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon

leave to cool

whip cream until stiff

add lemon curd to cream and fold in 

(the lemon curd must be completely cool)

MERINGUES

4 egg whites

225g sugar

place sugar on a baking tray and pop in oven preheated to 200c

whisk egg whites until peaks form

remove sugar which should be warm but not burnt

slowly add to whites a spoonful at a time 

whisking continually

when all sugar is incorporated whisk for 2 mins more

you should have a thick marshmallow like meringue mix

NOW YOU ARE READY TO ASSEMBLE

spread your lemon curd cream across pastry 

spread meringue mix on top 

you want the meringue top to have a lot of points 

these will caramelise and darken

now if you have a kitchen torch you can torch your meringue

otherwise place beneath a very hot grill 

keep an eye on it as it will burn in a second

ENJOY

*note I do not put an eggwash on my pastry case as I think it hardens the pastry 

*the lemon curd cream is also a really great sponge cake

or meringue roulade filling

*in order to use up the left over pastry I made some mini pies simply by greasing a muffin tin and pressing the scraps in to line them 

I got 3 extra mini lemon meringues, 

you could of course make all mini ones which would be great for a party 

DO LET ME KNOW IF YOU TRY THE RECIPE 

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