Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

Almond Pastry

300g butter,at room temp
187g icing sugar
2 eggs
 vanilla extract or zest of 1 lemon
65g ground almonds
500g flour

Hand method

• mix the flour, sugar, extract/zest and almonds into a bowl
• Rub in the butter until resembles fine bread crumbs
• Add the eggs and knead smooth.  Don't over knead. wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 45mins

Mixer method

• fit mixer with paddle attatchment
• Add the butter, zest/extract and sugar and mix on medium speed til smooth (scrape paddle and bowl occassionaly-with machine off of course!)
• Gradually add the eggs.
• Stop the mixer and add half the flour, mix on low speed to combine then stop again add remaining flour and mix on low 'til combined.  Don't over mix.  Cover and Refrigerate as above

Lemon Curd
This lemon curd does not require gelatine usually, but when used for a lemon meringue filling it gives a better result

240ml lemon juice
9 eggs
 170g butter
2 leaf gelatin or 1 x 7gsachet  (see post on gelatine)
255g sugar

• Prepare the gelatine
• Whisk the eggs briefly til homogeneous
•  bring the lemon juice, butter and sugar to boil
• Pour half the juice mix over the eggs and whisk
• Return to the pot on low heat
• continue whisking until thick
• Add the gelatine
• Remove from the pot and allow to cool

Italian Meringue
100g egg white
200g caster sugar

See Buttercream instructions on how to make this

 Assembly

• Butter and flour your pie tin.  (I placed some large strips of grease proof across the base and up over the sides-this helps remove the pie from tins without removeable bases)
• Dust a table lightly with flour and dust pastry with flour
• roll pastry to desired thickness and size and roll on to the pin (see Quiche for more information on rolling pastry) and mould into the tin.  Prick the base all over with a fork
• Freeze for  a couple of hours (about 2)
• Then preheat oven to 170C fan.  Remove pie from freezer and line with grease proof and fill with baking beans (or raw rice or dried peas)  (you can also use cling film instead of grease proof, but it must be catering grade otherwise it may melt in the oven)
• Cook 20minutes, then remove the beans and paper, brush the base with some beaten yolk and return to the oven for 5minutes or so.
• Remove from oven and allow cool

• Fill with the cooled curd, top with meringue
• Dust the meringue with sieved icing sugar and brown with a torch or hot grill.oven if desired

Lemon Meringue Pie topped with macarons

Raspberry Lemon Meringue:

spread raspberry jam on the cooked pastry base.  Place raspberries around edge of tart.