Lemon Meringue Pie

Directions

• For The Pastry Case
• ​You can either use a 500-gram shop-bought block of short paste or make your own using this recipe.
• Whichever way your pastry case will need blind baking first.
• Blind Baking
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Roll out the cooled pastry to approx 3mm and line a ​25cm 8″/9″ baking tin gently pushing the pastry into all creases and crevices. Prick the bottom with a fork several times.
• Place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes
• Cut a strip of greaseproof paper to approx 1″ wider than the tart tin and fold in half and then half again and in half again until you have a dart shape.
• Measure from the center of the tin and overlap the edge by 1/2″ cut or tear the greaseproof paper to form a circle when opened up.
• Place the paper on the lined tart tin and cover well with Baking beans. make sure the beans go right to the edge of the tin.
• Place in the oven for approx 15 mins. When baked remove from the oven and remove the beans.
• Place back in the oven for approx 10 mins or until golden brown remove from the oven and set aside to cool.​
• For the lemon filling:
• Place the butter, lemon juice, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the butter and the sugar are both dissolved.
• Remove from the heat.
• Into a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the whole eggs. Very slowly pour ​the warm butter and lemon juice mixture into the eggs making sure you keep vigorously whisking all the time. (​Otherwise the eggs will seperate).
• Pour the warm egg mixture back into the saucepan over a medium/low heat and whisk continuoasly until the filling thickens and resembles a nice smooth custard. At this point Do not let the mixture boil.
• Pour the lemon filling into the pre-baked pie casing and place in the oven for approx 12/15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. If the Lemon filling seems a bit wobbly, don’t worry, it will firm up as it cools.
• For the Italian meringue:
• Take the sugar and water and place in a medium saucepan and stir well to combine.
• Place a sugar thermometer in the pan and place the pan over a high heat, bringing it to the boil. it’s a good idea to brush down the sides of the pan with cold water and a pastry brush to stop any wayward sugar mix from crystalising.
• ​Keep stirring to make sure the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Once the mixture comes to the boil you can stop stirring but keep watch on the thermometer. You are looking to reach a temperature of 240°F (115°C). When the sugar reaches that point turn the heat off, but leave the thermometer in the pan.
• Grab your stand mixer bowl and make sure it is spotlessly clean, and wipe the inside of the bowl with the lemon wedge, this will make sure there is no grease in the bowl.
• Add the egg whites and lemon juice and whisk until soft peaks form.
• Double check the sugar syrup is still at 240°F (115°C) reheat if necessary, and set the speed of your stand mixer to low.
• Very slowly trickle the sugar syrup into the egg whites, keeping the mixer whisking at all times.(Keep the syrup away from the mixer whisk to save any splashing).
• Now all the syrup is mixed well with the egg whites turn the speed up to medium/high and keep whisking until the meringue is shiny, fluffy and forms firm peaks,(You are not looking for the peaks to be stiff) this could take around 3/4 minutes and the meringue will still be warm when you reach your peaks.
• ​Remove your lemon pie casing from the tin and place on a heatproof plate.
• Spread the meringue over the lemon pie filling, give it a generous topping, and using a tablespoon or a palette knife drop the spoon/knife onto the top of the meringue and lift up sharply, this will create peaks of the meringue.
• ​You have two ways of ​caramelising out the meringue, you can use a Kitchen Blowtorch or you can place the pie on a baking sheet and brown it under the grill.
• Whichever way just make sure that the meringue is nicely coloured all over in an even pattern.
• Let the pie cool completely before serving.