Mrs. Lovett’s Sweet Lemon Meringue Pie

Mmmmm lemon. Mmmmmm meringue. Mmmmmm Pie. I used to have an AMAZING recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie – the best combination of puff white happiness, lemoney sugariness and pie-ey goodness in the known universe, with homemade pastry and all, but I have misplaced it. This recipe isn’t quite what I remember, but I have made it, and it’s still pretty damn good.

Lemon Meringue Pie - I wish mine looked as perfect as this, though!

Ingredients (of doom)

300g sweet short pastry
4 eggs, separated
1 cup water
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 cup sugar
15g butter
1/4 cup cornflour
1/2 cup caster sugar
Icing sugar, to dust

1. Roll out pastry – always rolling away from you and turning the pastry, not battering it with the rolling pin (I am too hard up for a rolling pin, and use a wine bottle. True story – about 3mm thick. Grease a 20-25cm tart tin and stick the pastry in, up the sides and all. Prick the base with a fork and then chill for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 200°C. Line pastry case with baking paper or foil and fill with baking beans (I use dry pasta) to blind bake for 15 minutes, then remove paper and beans and return pastry case to the oven for a further five minutes to dry out. Remove to cool.

3. Place the egg yolks, water, lemon juice and zest, sugar, butter and cornflour into a saucepan. Cook over a gentle heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring continuously until mixture thickens like custard. Remove and let cool.

4. Spread lemon custard mixture into cooked pastry case. Place egg whites in a bowl and with an electric mixer, beat until stiff – I have to do this by hand as I am too hard up for a mixer. Use a husband with a strong arm. Slowly add caster sugar a little at a time, beating well until thick meringue is formed.

5. Spread meringue over custard to cover completely. It you want it to look all pretty you have to pipe it, but I just slather it on. Bake at 200°C for 10 to 15 minutes, just until tips of meringue are lightly browned. Dust with icing sugar and slice to serve.

You can make the pastry and filling the day before, but make the meringue right as you need it for optimum yumminess. Beat egg whites just before use, as they will separate on standing.

Anyone else care to share a pie recipe?