We couldn’t have meringue week could we without this gorgeous classic and what a way to end the week. Lemon meringue pie has to be one of my favourite old fashioned desserts, but not one that I have ever tried to bake as Jasmine (Simon and Stephen’s Nonna) use to make a perfect one and thats pretty hard to compete with. Plus as you may know if you follow my blog regularly that I am not that hot at pastry, but slowly with patience I am getting there, it is like everything in life, practice makes perfect.
A little tip that I learnt and after I had already baked mine and it had bled, was to wait until your pastry case and lemon mixture have completely cooled before adding your meringue, this will stop the topping leaking syrup, caused by steam released from the hot filling dissolving the meringue before it’s cooked. Again you live and learn and I will be doing this next time!
This dessert for me is a perfect summer dish, served after a gorgeous Sunday lunch sat in the garden, its light and refreshing and just what you need after a heavy meal, its comforting, sweet and with a little bit of tang from the lemons your palate is refreshed and cleansed. I had the perfect excuse to make it as my Daughter Rosie had her first ever proper job interview and got the job, so my lemon meringue was a celebration one.
It is a little tricky to bake, not in a difficult way, but there are a few components and a lot of lemons to zest and squeeze, so if you fancy something lemony and sweet, but want something a little easier to bake, I have also added a very simple and quick recipe for you, gorgeous little lemon meringue kisses, just perfect to serve with an espresso at the end of your meal.
We enjoyed ours with a gorgeous afternoon tea picnic at Luca’s sports day and Luca had a ball handing them out to his favourite teachers and friends.
So wether you decide to bake the classic lemon meringue pie, or the delicate little kisses, I hope that you will be enjoying them in good company and enjoying the glorious summer sunshine.
That brings us to the end of Mad Meringue Week, I hope you have enjoyed the recipes and happy baking.
Buon appetito
Ingredients
For the pastry
225g/8oz plain flour
175g/6oz butter
45g/1¾oz icing sugar
1 large free-range egg, beaten
For the lemon filling
6 lemons, zest and juice
65g/2¼oz cornflour
250g/9oz caster sugar
6 free-range egg yolks
For the meringue topping
4 free-range egg whites
225g/8oz caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
Preparation method
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
First make the pastry. Measure the flour and butter into a food processor and blend together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar, egg and one tablespoon of water and whizz again until combined to a ball.
Tip the pastry onto a work surface and roll out to a 3mm thickness. Use the rolling pin to lift the pastry up and transfer it to line a 23cm/9in loose-bottomed flan tin. Be careful not to stretch the pastry as you tuck it into the corners. Cover in cling film and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Take the pastry-lined tin out of the fridge and trim the excess pastry. Press the top edge of the pastry so that it stands slightly higher than the top of the tin.
Line the pastry case with parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for about 15 minutes then remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for a further five minutes.
Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 170C/340F/Gas 3½.
For the filling,mix the lemon zest and juice with the cornflour and stir to form a smooth paste.
Measure 450ml/16fl oz of water into a pan and bring to the boil. Add the lemon cornflour mixture to the hot water and stir over the heat until the mixture has thickened, then remove from the heat.
In a bowl mix together the sugar and egg yolks and carefully whisk into the lemon mixture in the pan. Stir over a medium heat until thickened. Set aside for a few minutes and then pour into the baked pastry case.
For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a free-standing mixer until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Add the caster sugar a little at a time, still whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Add the cornflour and whisk again.
Spoon on top of the filled pastry case and spread the meringue to completely cover the lemon filling. Then create a swirl on the top of the meringue.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the filling is completely set and the meringue is lightly golden and crisp.
Serve warm or cold. Personally we really didn’t like it warm, but cold it is just heavenly.
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Recipe No 2 – Lemon Meringue Kisses
4 medium egg whites
225g white caster sugar
Zest of one lemon
Heat the oven to 110c, 90c fan, gas mark 1/4.
Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Beat in half the sugar 1 tablespoon as a time until thick and glossy. Whisk in the lemon zest. Folding in the remaining sugar.
Take a piping bag and fit with a fluted nozzle, place into a large glass and using a small paint brush paint lines of yellow colouring paste, then fill the piping bag with the meringue mixture. Holding the bag vertical, pipe a blob about the size of a walnut onto a baking sheet, pipe a smaller blob on top followed by another slightly smaller. Lift away the nozzle sharply. You should have beautiful white meringues with yellow lines on the outside.
I always draw circles onto the parchment, then turn it over and stick it to the baking tray. This way you can see the circles thru the paper and you can pipe the perfect size every time. I found that the little pots edible glitter come in are just the perfect size to draw, round. Continue, spacing well apart, until all the mixture is used up.
Cook for about an hour until a meringue peels away easily. If you prefer a chewy meringue remove from the oven at once, if you like them drier, turn off the heat, leaving the meringues inside, and prop open the door slightly with a skewer.
To serve you can whisk some cream with icing sugar until it just holds its shape. Fill a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe a little cream onto the flat side of the meringue. Stick together with another meringue and place onto a serving dish. Also a little lemon curd swirled thru your cream or just lemon curd would be gorgeous.
I normally serve mine just as they are, my Brood love having a jar full of them on the dresser so they can help themselves to them as a little treat.
Continue with the rest of the meringues, piling up into a rough pyramid shape. Dust with icing sugar.
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