Ingredients
Scale
Pastry:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
2 tablespoons icing sugar
125g cold butter, chopped
2–3 tablespoons iced water
(or just some frozen shortcrust pastry)
Filling:
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup lemon juice
3 teaspoons grated lemon rind
40g butter
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups caster sugar (extra)
1/2 teaspoon cornflour
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a bowl and add the icing sugar and butter. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons water and mix into the flour with a flat bladed knife using a cutting action until the mixture comes together in small beads, then gather the dough together. Add the remaining water if the dough is too dry.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet of baking paper and roll out until large enough to line a greased 23cm round pie plate. Ease the pastry into the prepared dish. Trim off any excess pastry and pinch or fork the edge to decorate. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Place a sheet of baking paper in the pie shell and spread a layer of baking beads or rice over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Remove the paper, rice and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- To make the filling: place the flours and sugar in a pan. Whisk in the lemon juice, rind and 1 1/2 cups of water. Whisk continually over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens, then reduce the heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat then whisk in the butter and egg yolks, one at a time. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and cool.
- Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celsius. Spread the filling into the pastry shell. Place the egg whites and extra sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in mixmaster on high for 10 minutes, or until the sugar is almost completely dissolved and the meringue is thick and glossy. Beat in the cornflour. Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, piling it high towards the centre. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool before serving.
