Lemon Meringue Pie

120g flour
60g cornflour
60g icing sugar
pinch salt
100g refrigerated butter, cut into chunks
iced water

Sift the first four ingredients into a food processor, add the butter and process until it looks like breadcrumbs. With the motor running, gradually add some iced water - try about three tablespoons to begin with - until the mixture sticks together when press with a finger. Roll out on a floured board and use to line a lightly greased pie dish around 25cm in diameter. One with a removable bottom is ideal. Push some foil in over the pastry. Chill. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, remove the foil and bake a further five minutes. Meanwhile prepare the filling:

150g sugar
300ml water
30g butter, cut into chunks
juice and rind of two lemons
3 tablespoons cornflour
3 eggs, separated
50g caster sugar

Place the sugar, water, butter and lemon rind in a microwave bowl and cook on high for a minute or two, stirring once, until the sugar is dissolved and the butter melted. Mix the cornflour with the lemon juice. Pour in some of the hot liquid and stir then pour back into the bowl and combine well. Mix in the egg yolks. If the mixture hasn't thickened sufficiently to coat the back of a spoon, microwave on medium high until it thickens.

If you don't have a microwave oven the heating can be done in a pot on a conventional stove. In either case cook carefully after the addition of the eggs and don't let the mixture boil.

Beat the egg whites until stiff then add the caster sugar and whisk again. Pour the filling into the cooked pie shell, top with the meringue and bake at 160C for 20 minutes. Serve warm.