The crushed biscuit base is a shortcut to making a pastry shell ....
The homemade lemon filling is tangy and tasty ....
The meringue topping - even before baking - looks good enough to eat !
The finished product - just begging to be eaten !There’s something timeless about Lemon Meringue Pie, don’t you think ? It’s also one of those desserts (or tea time treats !) which everyone seems to enjoy.
I used to always make the pastry shell for my Lemon Meringue Pie by hand – but recently came up with a ‘shortcut’ by just using crushed biscuits (cookies) mixed with melted butter instead. (Just as delicious, and half the work !) You can, of course, still use a pastry base if you prefer.
I think that the ‘Lemon Curd’ you buy in jars in the supermarket is mostly quite awful tasting, and I prefer to make the lemon filling for this myself. It’s worth the effort – I promise !
This pie is best served cold, with great dollops of freshly whipped cream …. Mmmmm ……
Lemon Meringue Pie (adapted from the book “Anyone Can Bake” published by ‘Standard Brands Incorporated’ - 1929)
Base:
200 gm pkt of Rich Tea Biscuits (African cooks can use Marie or Tennis Biscuits)
4 heaped tbsp Butter
(You can use a pastry base instead of this biscuit base, if you prefer)
Filling:
2 cups boiling Water
4 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
2 tbsp Flour
1 cup white Sugar
½ cup cold Water
3 Egg yolks, beaten
8 - 10 tbsp Lemon Juice
½ tsp Salt
Topping:
5 Egg whites
3 tbsp white Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
Crush the biscuits by placing them in a resealable plastic bag and pounding them with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a small pot and stir in the crushed biscuits. Press into the base of a 26 cm (10 inch) round pie dish and place in the fridge to set for an hour or so.
Bring the 2 cups of water to the boil in a pot. In a separate bowl mix the cornflour, flour, sugar and cold water together until smooth. Stir in the beaten egg yolks. Pour this mixture into the pot of boiling water, turn the heat down and stir continuously for 5 minutes until thick and lump free. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice (taste for tanginess/flavour and add more or less accordingly) and salt & pour over the prepared biscuit base.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar and baking powder slowly and beating well after each addition. Spread the meringue on top of the pie filling and bake at 160’C/325’F/Gas Mark 3 for around 10 – 15 minutes until the meringue is light brown in colour.
I used to always make the pastry shell for my Lemon Meringue Pie by hand – but recently came up with a ‘shortcut’ by just using crushed biscuits (cookies) mixed with melted butter instead. (Just as delicious, and half the work !) You can, of course, still use a pastry base if you prefer.
I think that the ‘Lemon Curd’ you buy in jars in the supermarket is mostly quite awful tasting, and I prefer to make the lemon filling for this myself. It’s worth the effort – I promise !
This pie is best served cold, with great dollops of freshly whipped cream …. Mmmmm ……
Lemon Meringue Pie (adapted from the book “Anyone Can Bake” published by ‘Standard Brands Incorporated’ - 1929)
Base:
200 gm pkt of Rich Tea Biscuits (African cooks can use Marie or Tennis Biscuits)
4 heaped tbsp Butter
(You can use a pastry base instead of this biscuit base, if you prefer)
Filling:
2 cups boiling Water
4 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
2 tbsp Flour
1 cup white Sugar
½ cup cold Water
3 Egg yolks, beaten
8 - 10 tbsp Lemon Juice
½ tsp Salt
Topping:
5 Egg whites
3 tbsp white Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
Crush the biscuits by placing them in a resealable plastic bag and pounding them with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a small pot and stir in the crushed biscuits. Press into the base of a 26 cm (10 inch) round pie dish and place in the fridge to set for an hour or so.
Bring the 2 cups of water to the boil in a pot. In a separate bowl mix the cornflour, flour, sugar and cold water together until smooth. Stir in the beaten egg yolks. Pour this mixture into the pot of boiling water, turn the heat down and stir continuously for 5 minutes until thick and lump free. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice (taste for tanginess/flavour and add more or less accordingly) and salt & pour over the prepared biscuit base.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar and baking powder slowly and beating well after each addition. Spread the meringue on top of the pie filling and bake at 160’C/325’F/Gas Mark 3 for around 10 – 15 minutes until the meringue is light brown in colour.
