Food / 28 September, 2017 / My Baba

Beautiful Meringue Pies Inspired By The Great British Bake Off

Raspberry Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

• 375g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
• 400g raspberries, fresh, or thawed from frozen
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 125g caster sugar
• 4tbsp cornflour
• 3 egg yolks
• 50g butter
• 3 egg whites
• 175g caster sugar
• 20cm  fluted flan tin

Method:

• Line the flan tin with the pastry, prick the base with a fork and chill for at least 20 minutes.
• Set the oven to 200°C/392°F/Gas Mark 6 and put a baking sheet inside. Line the pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Place the tin on the hot baking sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Lift out the parchment with the baking beans and return the flan case to the oven for 3-5 more minutes, or until it’s a light golden colour and cooked through.
• Turn the oven temperature down to 160°C/320°F/Gas Mark

To make the filling:

• Tip the raspberries into the bowl of a food processor, add 150ml (½pt) water and whizz to a purée. Strain mixture through a sieve into a saucepan, discarding the seeds. Stir the lemon juice and caster sugar into the mixture and whisk in the cornflour.
• Place the pan on the hob and stir until the sugar dissolves, increase the heat and bring to the boil, beating well to avoid lumps as the cornflour thickens. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the butter. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and spread it out evenly.

To make the meringue:

• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, to give a meringue. Spoon on top of the raspberry mixture, and spread it out carefully, swirling it into peaks, taking care not to press out too much air.
• Return the pie to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the meringue has set and is just starting to tinge in colour, then remove from the oven.
• Leave the pie to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

The crust:

• 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (see Tip) or all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened

The filling:

• 1 12-ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 large eggs, separated

Meringue topping:

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 80g caster sugar
• 150g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• 260g plain flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1 large free-range egg yolk
• 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water

For the chocolate truffle filling:

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped
• 150g unsalted butter
• 60g golden caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs, plus
• 3 large free-range egg yolks
• 80g plain flour

For the meringue:

• 5 large free-range egg whites
• 275g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• ½ tsp white wine vinegar
• 20g cocoa powder

Method:

• For the pastry, pulse together the sugar and butter in a food processor until combined. Add the flour and cocoa powder and pulse to a breadcrumb-like texture.
• Add the egg yolk and 2 tbsp cold water, then pulse to bring the dough together – you may need a little more water, but be careful not to make the dough too wet. (If you don’t have a food processor, beat the sugar and butter with a wooden spoon, then rub in the flour and cocoa powder with your fingertips. Use the spoon to mix in the egg yolk and water, then knead together.)
• Once the dough is smooth, shape it into a thick disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to the thickness of a £1 coin. Peel off one piece of baking paper, then gently roll the pastry around the rolling pin to lift. Unroll the pastry, baking paper-side up, over a 23cm, deep fluted tin, then peel off the remaining paper (set aside). Carefully press the pastry into the tin. Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6.
• Trim any excess pastry from the sides with a sharp knife and use it to patch any gaps or holes. Scrunch up the reserved baking paper, then flatten out and use it to line the pastry case (scrunching helps it fit into the corners). Fill with baking beans/rice, then chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 13 minutes, then remove the baking beans/rice and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the pastry feels sandy and dry.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, put the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl). Melt gently, stirring now and then, then add the butter and stir until combined. Take off the heat.
• Using an electric mixer (or balloon whisk) whisk the sugar, eggs and egg yolks until pale and creamy. Stir in the melted chocolate until it’s all incorporated, then gently fold in the flour using a large metal spoon.
• Lower the oven temperature to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Spoon the chocolate filling into the cooked pastry case, level the top with a spatula, then bake for 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the meringue. Using an electric mixer with clean beaters (or a clean balloon whisk), whisk the egg whites (make sure the bowl is clean too) until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar until you have a stiff, billowy meringue whose peaks stay standing when you lift out the beaters/whisk. Mix/whisk in the cornflour, vanilla bean paste and vinegar.
• After 12 minutes of cooking, remove the chocolate tart from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 170°C/fan150°C/gas 3½.
• Sift half the cocoa powder on top of the meringue then, using a metal spoon, carefully spoon the meringue on top of the chocolate tart, swirling slightly as you go. Do not over-stir or you will lose the swirl effect. Sift the remaining cocoa over the meringue.
• Return the tart to the oven and bake for 20 minutes more or until it has a thin crust on top but is still soft in the centre. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin, then slice to serve.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

• Plain flour, for dusting
• 1 x 375g pack of sweet pastry
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• 270g caster sugar
• 3 medium lemons
• 50g unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 free-range egg yolks
• 4 free-range egg whites

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Carefully fold the pastry over your rolling pin, then drape it over a 23cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin.
• Press the pastry into the edges, being careful not to tear it. If the pastry does tear, patch it up with leftover bits, but be thorough – any cracks will spring leaks! Trim the pastry with a knife, then push it 1cm to 2cm up the sides of the tin to allow for shrinkage in the oven.
• Cover the base of the tart with clingfilm and fill it with baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked.
• Remove the clingfilm and beans or rice, and return the tart shell to the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s golden and biscuity. Take the tart shell back out of the oven, leave to cool, and reduce the oven temperature to 150ºC/300ºF/gas 2.
• Make the lemon curd. Spoon the curd filling into the pastry case, and spread it out evenly. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes in the fridge (the longer the better), so the meringue won’t slip around when you spoon it over the top.
• Now, make the meringue. In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites for 1 minute, or until thickened. Begin adding the rest of the sugar a little at a time, whisking each addition well, until you have a thick, glossy meringue.
• Use 2 tablespoons to blob the meringue over the cooled curd, making peaks as you go. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and set.