Fluffy sweetness out the outside, and tart lemony gooiness on the inside.

Takes 40 mins.

Suitable for vegetarian diets.*

Makes 8 slices.

Ingredients

Crust
225 g	flour
100 g	butter	diced
1 pinches	salt
3 Tbsp	water	or to desired consistency
Filling
5	egg yolks
6 Tbsp	cornflour
1.25 cups	sugar
0.25 tsp	salt
1.5 cups	water
0.5 cups	lemon juice
2 tsp	lemon zest	or more for extra zestiness
2 Tbsp	butter
Meringue
1 Tbsp	cornflour
0.3 cups	water	cold
5	egg whites
1 tsp	lemon juice
0.5 tsp	vanilla essence
0.6 cups	sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the crust, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the diced butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixtgure resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the salt, and then add water and mix to form a firm dough. Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured survace, and then wrap in cling-foil and chill while preparing the filling. Now separate the eggs. Since I'm on the topic of eggs, it's worth mentioning that eggs separate easiest when they're cold, but egg whites are best beaten at room temperature, so leave them out afterwards to acclimatize. An electric beater is recommended for the task, but this can totally be done by hand with a big bowl (which you cradle in your left arm), a hand-whisk, and a bit of fortitude. Once the oven has warmed up, pre-bake the pie crust for 20 mins at 180°C. While that's happening, juice and zest the lemons for the next part. Lemon filling: Start by whisking the egg yolks together and setting them aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the cornflour, sugar and salt. Mix it well before adding liquids, as the different sized grains will help to prevent clumps. Add the water and stir well. Cook over medium heat until it boils, stirring constantly, reduce heat and let it simmer for a minute (keep stirring) or until it thickens into a goo. Remove from heat. Now whisk 1 tbsp of the cornflour goop into the egg yolks bowl, to temper the yolks. Continue adding 1 tbsp at a time, whisking all the while, until you've mixed about half of it with the egg yolks. Now transfer the whole yolk mixture back into the corngoop pot. Stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter, and stand back and admire your delicious pot of lemony yolky corngoop (aka filling). Don't forget to taste. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Meringue topping: Prepare another, smaller batch of cornflour goop by whisking cornflour and water together in a small saucepan. Apply medium heat while stirring until it thickens, then set aside. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they become frothy. Then, while beating a bit more agressively, gradually add in the vanilla essence, lemon juice, and sugar and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Beat the corngoop mixture in well, and the meringue topping is done. Assembly: Re-heat the lemon filling to thin it out a bit, and scoop it into the pie crust, spreading evenly. Spread the meringue over the top, and ensure that it attaches to the crust all around the edge (this helps to form a seal and prevent shrinking). Bake for 20 mins at 160°C, until the meringue goes nice and golden brown. Remove from the oven, and let it cool completely (and I mean com-plete-ly!) before cutting.

Adapted from Elsie Bauer's recipe