Lemon Meringue Pie

Custard pies of various kinds using egg yolks had been made in Britain and then America for years but the first mention of Lemon Meringue Pie is in a cookery book of 1869.

Mrs Elizabeth Goodfellow, who ran a pastry shop in Philadelphia, decided to use the leftover egg whites as a topping over a lemon custard.

Mrs Elizabeth Goodfellow also started America’s first cookery school.

INGREDIENTS

Shortcrust pastry

*

40g cornflour

25g butter

300ml water

2 lemons rind & juice

2 egg yolks

50g caster sugar

*

2 egg whites

50g & 50g caster sugar

METHOD

It is best to use a metal dish especially one with a loose base.

Any diameter from 18cm to 22cm.

Grease the dish well.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry and line the dish.

Place a circle of baking paper over the base and add “baking beans”.

Bake blind at GM 7 – 220°C for around 15 minutes.

Remove the beans and paper and bake for another 5 minutes.

Leave to cool.

*

In a saucepan blend a little of the water with the cornflour.

Add the rest of the water and the butter.

Bring to the boil and then lower the heat

Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Add the lemon rind and juice.

Add the yolks and 50g of caster sugar.

Mix well and leave to cool.

*

Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 160°C.

*

Fill the pastry with the lemon mixture.

*

Whisk the egg whites till stiff.

Whisk in 50g of caster sugar till stiff.

Fold in 50g of caster sugar.

Cover the pie with the egg white mixture.

Make random peaks over the surface.

Bake for 25 minutes.

*

Leave to cool before serving.

OPTION

If you have an extra egg white, say from making the pastry, use this with extra sugar for the topping.