Lemon meringue pie (gluten and dairy free)
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 300 g gluten free plain flour
- 1 and 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 175 g dairy free butter (I use the 'Stork perfect for baking gold packet')
- 1 medium egg
- 3-4 tbsp cold water
For the lemon curd
- 5 egg yolks (use the egg whites for the meringue)
- 60 g cornflour
- 5-6 lemons (zest & juice - you will need about 175ml of lemon juice which will be around 5-6 lemons depending on their size)
- 225 g caster sugar
- 40 g dairy free butter
For the meringue
- 5 egg whites (use the egg yolks for the lemon curd)
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 225 g caster sugar
Instructions
Make the pastry
- To a large mixing bowl add plain gluten free flour, xanthan gum, sugar and salt. Mix well.
- Add your cold cubed butter and rub in with a fork until it starts to look like breadcrumbs.
- Add your egg and mix in using a table knife.
- Add water 1tbsp at a time and mix well until it starts to form a dough (you will need around 3-4 tbsp water).
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for atleast an hour.
- After an hour preheat your oven to 180°C and remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll out on a well floured surface until it's about 1cm thick and will fit in your tin.
- Carefully lift the pastry and press it into your tin (ensuring it goes up the sides of the tin, trim off any excess pastry). Blind bake the pastry (filled with baking beans) for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and take the baking beans out. Bake again for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and place to one side. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C.
Make the lemon curd
- To a saucepan add your grated lemon zest, cornflour and caster sugar. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into a jug (you will need around 175ml of lemon juice which will be from around 5-6 lemons depending on the size of your lemons), add 200ml of water to the lemon juice .
- Gradually add the lemon juice and water mixture to your saucepan on a medium heat whilst whisking constantly until it starts to simmer. Cook for another 2 minutes until thickened and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in your egg yolks followed by the dairy free butter. Set aside (press through a sieve if needed).
Make the meringue topping
- Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk to form stiff peaks, starting with the mixer on slow and then increasing the speed.
- Add cornflour and continue to whisk. Add your sugar 1 tsp at a time and keep whisking until glossy and thick.
Fill the pastry with the filling
- Reheat the lemon curd filling (this needs to be hot) on the hob and then spoon into your pastry case, smoothing with a knife.
- Immediately spoon your meringue mixture on top of the lemon curd, starting around the edge (make sure that the meringue mixture attaches to the crust with no gaps) and then moving to the centre. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks over the meringue.
Bake the pie
- Bake the pie in the oven at 160°C for another 30 minutes, until the meringue is set and crisp.
- Remove from the oven and leave for atleast 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Best served on the day you make it, however it will keep in the fridge for 48 hours.