Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 serve of homemade pastry

Lemon Filling:

• 80g (8 tbsp) cornflour
• 500ml water
• grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
• 50g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• yolks of 2-4 eggs (optional)

Meringue:

• whites of 3 eggs
• 100g caster sugar

Method

• Lightly grease a baking tray and an 8-inch fluted flan ring. Roll out pastry and line flan ring placed on the baking tray. Line the inside with a circle of greaseproof paper, and fill 3/4 full with dried peas or beans (we have used rice). Rest for 10 minutes, then bake in a moderately hot oven for 15 minutes. Remove greaseproof paper and beans and flan ring. Return to oven and bake a further 15-20 minutes.
• To make filling: place cornflour, water, butter, lemon rind and juice, and caster sugar in a saucepan. Whisk over a moderate heat (200 degrees C) until boiling, whisk a further 2-3 minutes. Cool slightly. Beat in egg yolks. Pour into flan case.
• To make meringue: whisk egg whites until stiff. Add half caster sugar and whisk until stiff again. Gently fold in remaining sugar. Pile meringue over lemon mixture making sure it comes right down to the pastry all around.
• Bake in a slow oven (150-160 degrees C) for about 30 minutes until meringue is golden.

Source

Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery