The reason I don't do a lot of desserts/baking is because I always imagine them as dour, precise exercises in tablespoon levelling and scale taring. That they may be, but a lemon meringue pie, at least, seems to work on shifting realities. Three basic elements and I don't think I saw two recipes that were the same. Not just different amounts of ingredients but in procedures as well. So either there is only one true recipe or people are just making it up as they go along. I took comfort in the latter.
First thing, ignore any recipe which use cornflour. It's just wrong. Don't ask me why. No wait. I'll tell you why. Because it's lazy. So there. You're using cornflour because you can't do 10 minutes of stirring in a bowl over boiling water. Make enough and you can put it in jars and make a half-way decent Christmas present. Ignore key lime pie. It contains four ingredients – pie base, condensed milk, key limes and cream – and perpetuates an internet-stuffing variety of recipes from canned food dependents.
The two main I used were recipe were from Stephanie Jaworski at Joyofbaking, who has a great name for crime fiction, and Delia. Delia really just for the pastry instructions and then not much, so don't bother. The ingredient amounts at Joy of Baking were pretty good though.
Pastry
Half butter, half lard ('twas a saint in the city of angels that turned me to the lard – not the easiest thing to buy these days, the packaging just says 'lard', I think methylated spirits gets fancier labels)
210 gms all purpose flour; pinch of salt, 60gms unsalted butter and 60gms lard at room temperature; 50 gms white sugar; 1 egg yolk lightly beaten; 1tbs cold water
Sift flour and salt, mix in egg yolk with sugar, then work in some flour and start to rub in bits of butter and lard tio make crumbs and then work into a dough. Don't overwork, finish off with a splash of cold water to a smooth ball and then put in the fridge wrapped in greaseproof paper for an hour.
Roll to a circle, fold into quarters (thank you Marg) and then unfold into a buttered pie thingy (I never realised I had one, pie thingy that is). Don't stretch the dough. Blind bake (greaseproof paper weighed down with rice) in a 210C oven for 10 minutes then remove the greaseproof paper and rice and continue to bake until light brown.
Lemon and Passionfruit Curd
Juice and zest of two lemons; two egg yolks; one whole egg; 3/4 cup white suggar; 60gms unsalted butter; pulp of one passionfruit.
Place juice, eggs and sugar in a bowl. Place bowl over boiling water to make a double boiler and stir until thickened to the consistency of thick cream or hollandaise – about eight minutes. Whisk butter in in small pieces. Stir in the zest and passionfruit pulp – you can add as many seeds as you like, it does add crunch.
Important point! Can't remember where I saw this but if the curd is hot when you put the meringue on, it won't detach later.
Meringue
3 egg whites; 1/2 a cup of sugar – double for an impressively high pie.
Whisk until stiff peaks form, but you knew this.
Finishing
Place curd in pie and spread evenly.
Spoon meringue on top, covering the curd. Make pointy bits by dabbing the meringue with a spoon and lifting.
Cook in a 170C oven until the meringue has nice golden browny bits (10 minutes) remove and allow to cool.
That's it. Fabulous! You'll love yourself and so will your guests.