“The French have dominated our afternoon tea for some time now and I think it’s wrong. This is a classic British dish made on a smaller scale, so you can eat it for tea or as a dessert. You will have more filling than you need – keep the rest in the fridge in a sealed jar – to fill tartlet cases, top pancakes, spread on wholemeal bread etc.” – Paul Hollywood
Individual Lemon Meringue Pies
Serves 4
For the base
150 g/5.25 oz gingersnaps
75 g/2.5 oz unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons
Juice of 6 large lemons
50 ml/3 Tbsp water
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
25 g/0.75 oz unsalted butter
175 g/6 oz superfine granulated sugar
For the meringue
3 large egg whites
175 g/6 oz superfine granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the base, crush gingersnaps to fine crumbs in a food processor (or use a rolling pin to smash them in a plastic bag) and mix with the melted butter. Divide between 4 individual 4-inch removable-base tart tins, 1 inch deep, and pressing mixture onto base and sides. Refrigerate to set.
For the filling, combine lemon zest and juice, water, cornstarch and egg yolks in a small heavy-bottom pan. Heat gently, stirring continuously, 10-15 minutes or until mixture thickens. Be patient. Stir in butter to make a thick, glossy lemon curd. Spoon a layer over gingersnap bases; cool. (Reserve the rest of the lemon curd in a sealed jar in the fridge for another use.)
Preheat oven to 375°F.
For the meringue, whisk egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff, then add sugar a spoon at a time, whisking well between each addition, until you have a thick glossy meringue. Fold in the cornstarch.
Spoon or pipe meringue generously over lemon layer. Bake 15 minutes, until meringue is brown on top. Serve hot, warm or cold
Adapted from A Baker’s Life: 100 fantastic recipes, from childhood bakes to five-star excellence by Paul Hollywood with permission from Bloomsbury Publishing. Text © Paul Hollywood, 2017. Photographs © Martin Poole, 2017.
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