Lemon Meringue Pie

I mentioned in my last post, where I made a Chocolate Fudge Cake, that there are a lot of 'classic' bakes that somehow I have managed not to make over the years. I'm not sure how I have avoided such tasty treats, but I've decided that needs to change! Next on my list was this gorgeous lemon meringue pie. I also got a chance to make italian style meringue, which was another first for me. I turned once again to What to Bake & How to Bake It by Jane Hornby - which really is a superb baking book - for the lemon filling. The pastry is a recipe I have used for years and I'm not sure where it originated from. The meringue was an internet find, but is a fairly standard recipe that seems to be repeated in quite a few places so again I'm not sure who deserves the credit!

I started with the pastry and rubbed 170g butter into 350g plain flour.

I added 2 eggs and brought the mixture together into a dough. I wrapped it in cling film and chilled it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

I took it out of the fridge and rolled it out onto some cling film. This stops it from sticking to the work surface and makes it easy to pick up.

I lined my tin, trimmed the edges and pricked the bottom all over with a fork.

I covered the pastry with foil, you can also use baking paper, and filled it with baking beans.

I baked the pastry on 200C (180C Fan)/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes.

I removed the baking beans and foil, turned the oven down to 180C (160C Fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4 and baked the pastry again for another 15 minutes.

To make the lemon filling I started by whisking up 4 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks (reserving the whites for the meringue).
 
In a pan I melted 175g butter, 200g caster sugar and 250ml lemon juice.

Once the butter and sugar were melted I poured the mixture slowly into the eggs, whisking as I poured.

I poured the mixture back into the pan and heated it on a medium heat for 5 minutes until it thickened up.

I poured the lemon mixture into the pastry case.

I baked it again on 180C (160C Fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5 minutes. I left it to cool completely.

To make the italian meringue topping I started with the sugar syrup. I put 225g caster sugar and 125ml water in a pan and let it come to the boil with the lid on. If I noticed any sugar around the edges of the pan I brushed them away with a wet pastry brush.

In a stand mixer I whisked up the 4 egg whites reserved earlier with 1/2 tsp cream of tartar until they reached soft peak stage. Then I poured the sugar syrup into a jug, and keeping the mixer on, I poured the sugar syrup into the meringue. I was careful not to let the sugar syrup hit the side of the bowl.

I kept the food mixer running until the bowl felt cool, it had a wonderful fluffy texture and was white and shiny.

I dolloped the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and flicked it around to give it texture.

I then got out my kitchen blowtorch and browned the meringue all over.

The lemon filling and the meringue were both melt in the mouth delicious, they perfectly matched each other with the meringue's sweetness and the zingy tartness of the lemon. The pastry was crisp and buttery, the ideal vehicle for transporting that delicious filling into your mouth.

I had some great comments about the pie from my colleagues, including 'amazing' and 'awesome'. I was very pleased it went down so well, this is a classic bake for a reason!

I'm entering this into Perfecting Patisserie hosted by BakingQueen74.

And into the No Waste Food Challenge hosted by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary, as this is a great recipe that uses up all of the egg whites and yolks, leaving nothing to waste. I also used some lemon juice I had frozen in the freezer for the filling.

I'm entering this into the Sunday Fitness & Food Link Up hosted by Ilka's Blog and Marathons & Motivations.
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Lemon Meringue PieApril-10-2016Ingredients

• 345g Butter
• 350g Plain flour
• 10 Eggs
• 250ml Lemon juice
• 425g Caster sugar
• 125ml Water
• 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

InstructionsStart with the pastry. Rub 170g of the butter into the plain flourAdd 2 of the eggs and bring the mixture together into a dough. Wrap it in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutesRoll the pastry out and line the tin, trim the edges and prick the bottom all over with a forkCover the pastry with foil and fill it with baking beans. Bake the pastry on 200C (180C Fan)/400F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutesRemove the baking beans and foil, turn the oven down to 180C (160C Fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4 and bake the pastry again for another 15 minutesTo make the lemon filling whisk up 4 of the whole eggs and 4 of the egg yolks (reserving the whites for the meringue)In a pan melt 175g of the butter, 200g of the caster sugar and the lemon juiceOnce the butter and sugar are melted, pour the mixture slowly into the eggs, whisking as you pourPour the mixture back into the pan and heat it on a medium heat for 5 minutes until it thickens upPour the lemon mixture into the pastry case. Bake it again on 180C (160C Fan)/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 5 minutes. Leave it to cool completelyTo make the italian meringue put 225g of the caster sugar and the water in a pan and let it come to the boil with the lid on. If you notice any sugar around the edges of the pan, brush them away with a wet pastry brushIn a stand mixer whisked up the 4 egg whites reserved earlier with the cream of tartar until they reach soft peak stage. Pour the sugar syrup into a jug, and keeping the mixer on, pour the sugar syrup into the meringue. Be careful not to let the sugar syrup hit the side of the bowlKeep the food mixer running until the bowl feels cool, then dollop the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and flick it around to give it texture. Finally use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue all over
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