Serves 8
Ingredients
For the pastry
120g butter
150g plain flour
60g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
For the lemon filling
2 large lemons
45g cornflour
300ml water
2 egg yolks
90g caster sugar
For the meringue topping
3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
Equipment
24-cm flan dish or tin, greased with a little oil or butter
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Make the pastry: rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the caster sugar, then the egg yolk. Mix with a fork, then with your fingers. It should start forming into a ball.
- Roll out carefully and line the baking dish. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Grate lemon rind from the 2 lemons and extract the juice. Put the rind and juice in a bowl with the cornflour. Add 2 tablespoons of the water and blend with a fork or small hand whisk until smooth. Boil the remaining water and pour it onto the lemon/cornflour mixture. Return the mixture to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat, add the egg yolks and sugar and whisk to combine. Leave to cool slightly.
- Take the pastry base from the fridge, remove the cling film and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks – you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without them falling out. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Remove the pastry case from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C.
- Pour the lemon filling into the case, then spoon the meringue on top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown. Eat hot or cold.
