Lemon Meringue Pie

After dealing with a breakup with my boyfriend this week, usually the thing that gets me through tough times is baking so needless to say a lot of cooking went on this week but unfortunately no pictures. Reason by my camera was lost- lost in my handbag. So that will tell you I probably need to downsize my bag.

I made a lemon meringue pie last night for the first time I might add and am extremely happy with my efforts as I just sort of threw the recipe today from elements from other recipes. The base is from Donna Hay's caramel slice which I am absolutely obsessed with and the rest I sort of tweaked myself.

Base mixture pressed into tin.

Cheesecake lemon filling after coming out of the oven.
Just after coming out of the oven.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and make sure all ingredients are room temperature.

Base:

1 cup plain flour
125g melted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dessicated coconut

Combine ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles wet sand. You may need to scrape down the sides.

After buttering your spring form pan, line it with baking paper on the base and sides and then press mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.

Refrigerate


Filling:

2 x 250g cream cheese (I used the light version)
300g sour cream (i used light)
3/4 cup of caster sugar
1 tbspn lemon rind (make sure is fine)
3 tbspn fresh lemon juice
3 eggs

In a food processor, process cream cheese and sour cream until all lumps are removed. Then add sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice and eggs. Process well, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to remove all lumps. (Don't be alarmed if the mixture is not too yellow at this stage, I find it tends to get deeper in colour after coming out of the oven).

Take tin out of fridge, wrap in heavy foil making sure it comes up the sides of the tin and place in a roasting tray. Pour the mixture into the spring form tin. Pour water into the roasting tray making sure it comes up about halfway up the side of the spring form tin.

Place in the oven and bake for around 55 minutes. (My oven for some reason cooks extremely fast and mine was ready in around 45-50 minutes). The mixture should have a SLIGHT wobble.

Leave in the oven with the door ad jar for 1-2 hours until cooled then place in the fridge for an hour.

Meanwhile to make the meringue...


Meringue:

Turn the oven now up to 200 degrees Celsius

3 egg whites
3/4 cup caster sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar

In a clean dry bowl using a mix master or handheld mixer, mix egg whites to soft peaks. Then add the cream of tartar still mixing and slowly add all of the sugar in making sure that it gets mixed in well so the meringue isn't grainy.

Taking the tin out of the fridge, using a palette knife, spoon the meringue on top of the cheesecake pie filling and smooth the edge making sure the top is as smooth as possible.

Place in the oven for around 5-8 minutes until top is lightly browned.


Take out of the oven. Leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Run a hot knife around the outside of the cake and remove the outside of the tin then refrigerate for 2-3 hours. My family kept hounding me and we ended up eating it around 1ish hours after being in the fridge. It will still a tad warm but tasted amazing.


Don't be alarmed if the the base feels soft to touch as the mixture will still be setting. It will harden up.