Lemon S'mores Meringue Pie

Recipe by Dan Doherty - MADE GLUTEN FREE

Makes 1 pie

Ingredients

• 250g plain gluten free flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1/4tsp xanthan gum
• 85g icing sugar
• 1/2 vanilla pod (with seeds scraped out - to be used)
• 125g butter
• 1 egg (for the pastry)
• 4 eggs (for the curd)
• 350g sugar
• 4 lemons (zest and juice)
• 225g butter (cut into small cubes)
• handful of small marshmallow pieces
• 300g caster sugar (for the meringue)
• 120g egg whites (for the meringue)

Method

Pastry Case

• Sift together the flour, xanthan gum and icing sugar. 
• Add the vanilla seed, then rub in the butter until it becomes crumbs.
• Then stir in the egg to make the dough. 
• Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. 
• Heat the oven to 200C (gas 6, 180C fan)
• Grease the pie tin.
• Flour the surface and roll out the pastry to approximately 2mm thick and carefully line the tin. Put in the fridge to firm up.
• Take out of the fridge and line with baking paper and baking beans.
• Blind bake for 10-12mins and then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 mins.
• Leave to cool.

Lemon Curd

• Mix the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a glass bowl and sit over a pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens (should take about 8-10minutes).
• Once it has thickened, beat in a few cubes of butter at a time until the curd is smooth.
• Allow to cool.
• Spread the marshmallows on a tray and place under a hot grill until they brown. 
• Scrape them off the tray and add to the curd mixture. Stir until combined.
• Cover and allow to chill in the fridge.

*To make italian meringues (you will need a sugar thermometer)

• Put the sugar in a pan and pour 200ml water over.
• Heat until the sugar has dissolved, then boil until the temperature reaches 116C on a sugar thermometer. 
• Whisk the egg whites in a bowl at a slow speed, then increase to the form soft peaks. 
• Once the sugar has reached 121C pour slowly into the egg whites then whisk at high speed. 
• Keep whisking until the meringue cools to room temp. 
• Put into a piping bag.

Pie

• Spoon the curd and marshmallow into the tart cases.
• Pipe the Italian meringue over the curd mixture.
• Use a blow torch or a hot grill to brown the meringue.