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This is a refreshing desert, some like it sweet and others bitter tasting depending on the ratio of sugar to lemon. This recipe calls for a healthy mix, leaning towards the bitter side, but simply add a bit more sugar or more lemon depending on what you like.

Difficulty: - 5/5

Ingredients:-

(For the Pastry)

225g Plain Flour

175g Butter

45g Icing Sugar

1 Egg

(For the lemon filling)

6 Lemons

65g Cornflour

250g Caster Sugar

(For the Meringue)

4 Egg whites

225g Caster Sugar

2 tsp Cornfour

Method:-

1) Turn on the oven, setting it to 180C

2) To make the pastry blend together the flour and butter until they look like fine crumbs. Then add the icing sugar, egg and a tbsp. of water to help it to all bind together into a ball shape. Then, using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry until it is about 3mm thick and place into loose bottomed tin. Cover the pastry and leave it to chill in the fridge for half an hour.

3) Then, using a rolling pin, roll out the pastry until it is about 3mm thick and place into loose bottomed tin. Cover the pastry and leave it to chill in the fridge for half an hour.

4) Then take it out of the fridge and cut around any loose pastry around the top of the tin. Put some baking paper in the tin and some baking beans, then bake for 15 minutes. This technique is known as blind baking. After this time take the beans and the parchment paper out of the oven, then put the tin back in for 5 minutes.

5) After the pastry is cooked take it out of the oven and leave it to cool, then turn the over down to 170C.

6) Then for the filling, mix the lemon zest and juice with the cornflour and stir it together to make a kind of paste. Then measure out and bring to the boil 450ml of water in a saucepan, adding the paste once the water has boiled. Stir the mixture and take off the heat once it starts to thicken.

7) Whisk together the sugar and egg yolk in a bowl and then add them to the saucepan. Put the saucepan back on the heat and mix until its thick, but set it to a medium temperature. Take it off the heat, and then after a few minutes pour it into the pastry case.

8) Once that is done now you can make the meringue by whisking the egg whites until soft peaks are formed, as shown in the picture. Once this has happened add the caster sugar, a small amount at a time, all the while whisking until the peaks are shiny and stiff. Then add the cornflour and gently mix in. Be careful not to over mix the egg whites!

9) Then carefully with a spoon spread the meringue on top of the lemon mixture in the pastry case. Then be creative and create peaks and swirls in the meringue. Bake the whole thing in the oven for 15 minutes until the meringue beings to turn golden brown.

10) Take it out of the oven and serve it either hot or cold.