CITRUS MERINGUE PIE
Ingredients
- 175g/6oz plain flour
- 50g/1¾oz cocoa powder
- 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
- 150g/5½oz butter
- chilled and diced
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- pinch salt
- chilled water
- 3 large oranges
- zest and juice
- 1 pink grapefruit
- zest and juice
- 75g/2½oz cornflour
- 500ml/18 fl oz freshly boiled water
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 5 free-range egg whites
- 225g/7oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 100g/3½oz shelled hazelnuts
- toasted and lightly crushed or broken up
Directions
- For the pastry case
- preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Either blend the flour
- cocoa
- icing sugar and butter in a food processor or rub in by hand until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and a pinch of salt. You might find that the mixture already clumps together – if so
- you will not need to add any water. If it still seems a bit dry when you squeeze some between your fingers
- add up to a tablespoon of water. Form into a ball
- wrap in cling film and chill for at least half an hour.
- To make the filling
- zest one of the oranges and the grapefruit. Put in a bowl
- then add all the juice from the oranges and grapefruit
- along with the cornflour. Whisk the cornflour into the juice until you have a very thin paste. Bring the water back to the boil in a saucepan
- then whisk in the citrus and cornflour mixture.
- Stir over a medium heat until it has the consistency of a thick custard. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together
- then add this to the citrus mixture. Stir to combine
- then cover with clingfilm
- making sure the clingfilm touches the custard to stop a skin forming
- then chill in the fridge.
- Roll out the pastry and use to line a 23-24cm/8½-9½ in tart case. Prick all over with a fork
- then line with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes
- then remove the beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
- When the filling is completely chilled
- scrape it into the pastry case. Whisk the egg whites until they are just starting to form stiff peaks
- then continue to whisk
- adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time. When it is stiff and glossy
- add the remaining sugar and the cream of tartar. Finally
- fold in the toasted hazelnuts. Pipe or pile the meringue over the filling.
- Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes
- or until the meringue is a dappled golden-brown. Cool before eating.

