Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients 

Pastry for flan case:
6 ozs plain flour
4 ozs margarine
1 1/2 desert spoons water
Pinch of salt

Filling and topping:
4 level tablespoons cornflour
Grated rind and juice of one lemon
Half pint water
8 ozs caster sugar
1 oz margarine
2 eggs

How to make

Making the pastry:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C / Gas Mark 5
  
  
• Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the water to form a firm dough.
  
  
• Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  
  
• Roll out the pastry into a large circle big enough to fit a 7 inch flan ring. Ease the pastry into the flan ring and press smoothly round the side and bottom. Cut off the surplus pastry with a sharp knife.
  
  
• Line the inside of the pastry case with some greaseproof paper and then fill with baking beans.
  
  
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes and then remove the baking beans and the paper and return to the oven to bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes.
  
  
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Making the filling:

• Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a smooth paste.
  
  
• Put the remaining water and margarine into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour over the blended cornflour and stir well. Return to the saucepan and cook for 3 minutes stirring continuously.
  
  
• Remove from the heat and stir in the rind and juice of the lemon together with 4 ozs of the caster sugar.
  
  
• Separate the egg yolks from the whites and stir the yolks into the cold lemon mixture. Pour the mixture into the flan case.

Making the topping:

• Whisk the egg whites until they stand up in stiff points when the when the risk is lifted out quickly.
  
  
• Add 2 ozs caster sugar gradually and whisk again until it is as stiff as before.
  
  
• Fold in the remaining 2 ounces caster sugar with a metal spoon.
  
  
• Pile the meringue mixture roughly over the lemon filling so that it is completely covered.
  
  
• Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 25 minutes at 150 °C / Gas Mark 2 and then leave to cool before serving.

Serves 6