Lemon meringue pie

Preperation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 mins
Serves: 8

Recipe Ingredients

For filling:
grated zest and juice of 4 large lemons;
90g cornflour;
600ml boiling water;
4 egg yolks;
175g caster sugar;

For Meringue:
5 egg whites;
250g caster sugar;

For Pastry:
250g plain flour;
30 icing sugar;
125g chilled butter, cut into cubes;
1 egg yolk;
2 tbsp cold water.

Recipe Method

First make the pastry. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl, then rub in the butter with fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolks and mix with enough cold water to make a pliable dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough and use to line a 23cm loose-bottomed fluted flan tin. Bake blind for 10 minutes at 200c/gas 6.

Remove baking beans and foil and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and turn the temperature down to 150c/gas2.

In a pan mix the lemon zest and juice with the cornflour. Stir in a pint of boiling water. Bring to a boil, stirring,until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat.

Leave to cool slightly before stirring in the egg yolks and sugar. Return to the heat and gently cook, stirring, until just simmering. Pour into pastry shell.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in 1tsp of sugar at a time. Spread the meringue evenly over the pie filling. Bake for 45 minutes until crisp and brown. Can serve warm or cold.