Who does not love a lemon meringue pie? This delicious yet unbelievably simple dessert has become a favourite in our house, and there is a reason why! After many different attempts, we have finally perfected our lemon meringue pie recipe; we have found the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, as well as making sure it has a definite flavour of lemon. Tried and tested at many family gatherings, this dessert has become a much requested dish, and I'm sure - once you've made it - that you'll have everyone asking you to make one too!
Ingredients:
For the fleur pastry:
340g plain flour
200g butter, softened to room temperature
2 egg yolks
6-7tbs of tepid water (you can use more or less depending on how wet or dry your dough is)
A pinch of salt (1/16 of a tsp)
For the Curd:
5 large egg yolks (use the whites for the meringue later)
320ml water
100g granulated sugar
38g corn starch
1/4 tsp salt
Juice of 3 lemons
Zest of 2 lemons (approx. 2 tsp)
28g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For the Meringue:
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream tartar
1/8 tsp salt
100g granulated sugar
Method:
For the pastry
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, add the chunks of butter, and, using your hands, rub the ingredients together.
Once rubbed in, the mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs. Be sure not to over work the mixture as it can become greasy.
Add the egg yolk and, using a fork, start to mix with the flour.
Slowly add the water, a tbsp. at a time, until your dough comes together in a ball - remember, the more you work the dough, the tougher it will become. Be sure not to add too much water.
Transfer onto a floured surface and roll out until approx. 1/8 inch thick.
Transfer into your greased pie dish, press into all the edges, and trim any excess pastry using a knife.
Prick the base using a fork and blind bake at 200C (390F) for about 20 - 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
Leave to cool in the tin whilst you make the filling.
For the Curd:
Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, corn starch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and whisk over a medium heat. At first the mixture will be thin and cloudy. It will eventually begin to thicken and bubble (about 6 minutes).
Continue mixing and then reduce the heat to low.
To temper the egg (to stop them from scrambling), very slowly add a few tablespoons of the hot lemon mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly.
Once incorporated, pour this mixture back into the saucepan and continue mixing.
Turn the heat back up and continue to cook until large bubbles start to beak on the surface (another few minutes).
Remove from the heat, and whisk in the butter.
Transfer to a heat-proof jug, press some cling film over it to stop a skin from forming, and leave to cool slightly.
Note: don't cool the curd completely as it will make pouring into the pie crust difficult.
For the Meringue.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white and cream of tartar using a hand held mixer or stand mixer until soft peaks begin to form.
Slowly, add the combined sugar and salt until fully incorporated. Continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form. Note: Add the sugar slowly. If added to quickly, it can cause your meringue to become dense.
Pour the curd into the pie crust. Spread the meringue on top, starting from the edge and working in. Make sure the meringue is spread to the edges to prevent any of the curd seeping out.
Bake in the middle rack of a 200C (390F) preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Turn during baking if necessary.
Leave to cool, remove from the tin, serve, and enjoy!