Lemon Smores Meringue Pie Recipes

LEMON MERINGUE PIE S'MORES

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high and line a baking sheet with parchment. Put 8 shortbread rounds on the tray with a marshmallow on each. Grill until the marshmallow begins to brown and melt.
• Put a tsp of lemon curd on the other 8 shortbread and sandwich with the melty marshmallow layer.

LEMON S'MORES MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Sift the flour and icing sugar together, and add the vanilla seeds. Rub in the butter, then stir the egg in to make a dough. Cover in clingfilm, then leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Flour your surface and butter 6 x 10cm individual tart cases. Roll out the pastry to 2mm thick and cut into circles with a 15cm diameter. Carefully lift each one into the case and push it in so it fits snugly. Pop back in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.
• Take out, line with baking paper or foil, and add a handful of rice or baking beans. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove the paper and beans and put the tarts back in for 5 minutes, or until the case is cooked. Take out and cool at room temperature.
• To make the curd, mix the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a large glass bowl and sit over a pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. This should take 7-8 minutes. Beat in the butter a few cubes at a time until the curd is smooth. Cool with a piece of parchment paper or clingfilm on top.
• Spread the marshmallows on a tray and toast with a blowtorch or under a hot grill until dark brown. Scrape them out, add to the curd and stir. Don't worry about any lumps. Re-clingfilm the curd and allow to set in the fridge.
• To make the meringue, put the sugar in a pan and pour 200g water over it. Heat until the sugar has dissolved then boil until the temperature reaches 116C on a sugar thermometer.
• Meanwhile put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk at a slow speed. Once the sugar reaches 116C, increase the speed of whisking to create soft peaks. When the sugar reaches 121C, pour slowly into the egg whites while whisking at a high speed. Once the syrup has been added, whisk until the meringue cools to room temperature. Scrape into a piping bag with a 10-12mm plain nozzle.
• Spoon the marshmallow and lemon curd into the tartlets and level to the tops. Pipe the Italian meringue over, in dots for a neat finish pulling the piping bag un to make a peak on each. Use a blowtorch or a hot grill, quickly brown the meringue. It will only take a few seconds.

ULTIMATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the plain flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mix starts to bind - make sure the mix is not overworked.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into the flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don't worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 30 mins-1 hr (or overnight).
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the pastry case 'blind' (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside. Can be done a day ahead. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling. Mix the cornflour, golden caster sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually. Make the orange juice up to 200ml with water and strain into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
• Once the mixture bubbles, remove from the heat and beat in the butter until melted. Beat the egg yolks (save white for meringue) and the whole egg together, stir into the pan and return to a medium heat. Keep stirring vigorously for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens and plops from the spoon. (It will bubble, but doesn't curdle.) Take off the heat and set aside while you make the meringue.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add 100g of the golden caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking between each addition without overbeating. Whisk in the cornflour, then add the remaining 100g of sugar as before until smooth and thick.
• Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case. Immediately put spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling (if you start in the middle, the meringue may sink), then spread so it just touches the pastry (this will anchor it and help stop it sliding). Pile the rest into the centre, spreading so it touches the surface of the hot filling (and starts to cook), then give it all a swirl.
• Return to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and slightly coloured. Let the pie sit in the tin for 30 mins, then remove and leave for at least another 30 mins-1 hr before slicing. Eat the same day.

WORLD'S BEST LEMON PIE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Pour into pastry shell. In a bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry peaks are formed. Gradually beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over pie, sealing edges to pastry. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.