Lemon Meringue Pie - (inc. really quick recipe too)

 

I think after Christmas, although you dont exactly lose your sweet-tooth - it's nice to have something with a bit of sharpness .......... this is a 'proper' recipe but below I have given a really quick version.....

Oven: 180deg.C - preheated

Ingredients: makes 2 pies (or one really large one!)

Pastry: either use 'sweet' bought/ready-made pastry ... or ....

500g (1lb.2ozs.) fine plain flour

175g (6ozs.) icing sugar 

1 lemon - zest of

250g (9ozs.) butter - cold and cubed

1 medium egg + 2 yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla essence

Meringue: 

4 medium egg whites

100g (3ozs.) caster sugar

Lemon Curd:

3 egg yolks - left from the whites

50ml, (2 fl.oz.) double cream

450ml. (16fl.ozs) really good lemon curd - 'bought' is easy :)

1. Make the pastry: sift the flour and sugar and add the lemon zest.  Work in the butter until you have 'crumbs'.

2. Making a well in the middle, add the egg and vanilla together and pour into the well.  Gradually stir in the flour, taking a little more in the centre with each sweep of the spoon.

3. Loosely press out the pastry and divide into two balls.  Cover with Klingfilm and chill them for at least 1/2 hr.

*4. Roll out each ball of pastry and press into a tin, leaving a little overlap - bake blind, using some scrunched foil and baking beans, and bake for 10 mins.  Remove the foil/baking beans and cook for a further 15 mins.

5. Make the meringue - by whisking the (4) whites and (3ozs.) caster sugar until stiff peaks are formed.

Assembling the pies:

a) Whip the (3) yolks, (50ml) double cream and (450ml)  lemon curd and pour into the prebaked pastry shells.

b) Top the pies with the whipped egg whites - spooning them on, and smooth with a palette knife.

c) Bake for 40 mins. at 170 deg.C  and when cooked the meringue will be slightly golden on top and soft in the middle.

This recipe is from the Duchy Originals Cookbook.

 for a really quick version:

Oven: 190 deg. C - - 45 mins

1 pack of ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry + 9" shallow baking tin

approx. 8 tablspns. of ready-made lemon curd (or more :) )

Meringue: 6 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks then + whisk/beat in 300g caster sugar - 

you should get a lovely shiny stiff meringue

   think it is a good idea to either pre-bake the pastry case, or partly pre-bake it or buy one ready made - roll out pastry , place in tin, trim overlap. (*If pre-baking - see above recipe).

Place lemon curd in pastry case, top with the meringue and bake -

serving warm or cold