Lemon meringue pie

Name: Lemon meringue pie
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 3 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200 g plain flour, plus extra for rolling; 25 g icing sugar; 110 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp cold water; 45 g cornflour; 200 g caster sugar, for the filling; 3 lemons, finely grated zest; 300 ml water; 150 ml lemon juice, from about 4 lemons; 50 g unsalted butter, for the filling; 4 egg yolks; 4 egg whites, at room temperature; 200 g caster sugar, for the meringue; 1 tsp cornflour, for the meringue

3 h 45
Prep 40 min
Cook 50 min
Serves 8
hard

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A crisp pastry case filled with a sharp, glossy lemon filling and piled high with soft meringue baked to golden peaks.

Method

1
Rub the butter into the flour and icing sugar until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs, then add the egg yolk and cold water and bring it into a dough. Wrap and chill.
2
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface to about 3 mm thick, line the tin, leaving the excess hanging over, and prick the base. Chill.
3
Heat the oven to 190°C with a baking tray inside.
4
Line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans and bake on the hot tray.
5
Remove the paper and beans and bake until the base is dry and golden.
6
Trim the overhanging pastry and turn the oven down to 170°C.
7
In a saucepan, whisk the cornflour, 200 g sugar and lemon zest with a little of the water to a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest of the water and the lemon juice.
8
Bring to the boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and let it bubble until thick and glossy.
9
Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the butter, then the egg yolks one at a time. Return to low heat, stirring, to cook the yolks.
10
Pour the hot filling into the pastry case.
11
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then whisk in the 200 g sugar a spoonful at a time until thick and glossy. Whisk in the cornflour.
12
Spoon the meringue around the edge of the filling first, making sure it touches the pastry all the way round, then pile the rest in the middle and swirl into peaks.
13
Bake until the meringue is crisp and golden on the peaks.
14
Cool at room temperature so the filling can set before slicing.

Notes

Spreading the meringue over hot filling cooks it from below and helps stop a watery layer forming between them.
Sealing the meringue against the pastry rim stops it shrinking back as it bakes.
Slice with a knife dipped in hot water. The pie is best on the day it is made and should not go in the fridge, which makes the meringue weep.

Equipment

23 cm loose-based tart tin, 3.5 cm deep, Mixing bowls, Rolling pin, Baking paper, Baking beans, Baking tray, Medium saucepan, Whisk, Electric mixer, Wire rack

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