Lemon meringue pie
This will always remain my ultimate, favourite tart! For an easy version, substitute the base with 200 g crisp biscuits, crushed and mixed with 100 g melted butter or margarine.
Makes 1 pie
Pastry
140 g (1 cup) cake flour
1 ml (pinch) salt
60 g cold butter or margarine
60 ml (¼ cup) castor sugar
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 ml (¼ tsp) vanilla essence
10 ml (2 tsp) ice-cold water
Filling
385 g can condensed milk
5 ml (1 tsp) grated lemon rind
125 ml (½ cup) fresh lemon juice
2 extra-large egg yolks
Topping
160 ml (2/3 cup) icing sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) cornflour
4 extra-large egg whites
125 ml (½ cup) castor sugar
1. Pastry: Sift flour and salt together. Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add castor sugar.
2. Whisk egg yolks, essence and water together. Add to dry ingredients and cut in with a knife. Knead lightly to a firm pastry. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. Roll out pastry onto a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm. Line a greased 24 cm loose-bottom round flan pan with pastry. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.
4. Prick base and bake blind in a preheated oven at 190 °C for 10 minutes. Remove beans and grease-proof paper. Continue baking for 5 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 180 °C.
5. Filling: Combine condensed milk, lemon rind and juice and egg yolks and mix well until smooth. Spoon mixture into pastry base.
6. Topping: Sift icing sugar and cornflour together three times and set aside.
7. Beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add castor sugar and beat until medium peak stage. Sift icing sugar and cornflour mixture over egg white mixture and fold in gently, using a metal spoon.
8. Spoon meringue on top. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.