Ingredients
- 1¼ cups plain flour
- 2–3 tablespoons icing sugar
- 125 g butter, chopped
- 3 tablespoons iced water
Filling
- ¼ cup cornflour
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 30 g butter, chopped
Topping
- 6 egg whites
- ¾ cup caster sugar
Method
1. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the butter to the flour and rub them together with your fingertips for 2 minutes or until mixture is fine and crumbly. Add almost all the water and mix to a firm dough, adding more if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and press together until smooth. Roll between 2 sheets of plastic wrap until large enough to fit a 22 cm flan ring. Place ring on a flat oven tray, line with pastry and trim the edges. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper to cover the pastry. Spread a layer of dried beans or rice over the paper. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; discard beans or rice. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the pastry is lightly golden. Allow to cool. Turn the oven off.
2. To make Filling: Place the cornflour and a little water in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Combine remaining water, juice, rind and sugar in small pan; stir without boiling until sugar dissolves. Add the cornflour mixture and stir until well combined. Stir over moderate heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Simmer, stirring, for another minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolks and butter. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap; allow to cool completely.
3. To make Topping: Preheat the oven to 150°C. Using electric beaters, beat the egg whites in a small, dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar gradually, beating constantly until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy. Pour the cold filling into the cold pastry shell. Spread the meringue over the top, forming decorative peaks. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
