I’m a serious sweet tooth and when it comes to desserts
I find it hard for myself to refrain from taking one extra spoonful of delicious,
rich and creamy delights whatever they may be. The classic lemon meringue pie
has a pretty much cult following as not all are a fan of the strong lemon curd after
taste however after many baking attempts at home
I’ve now perfected the recipe for the way I like my lemon meringue with the
extra kick of mango sweetness. The perfect meringue pie should be “tangy enough
to get your tongue in a twist, but just sweet enough to make you go back for
more.” However most importantly the meringue is what makes or breaks your pie,
presentation and taste.
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Ingredients:
(Base)
1 packet (220 g) ANZAC/Nice/Tennis
or Digestive Biscuits (depending on what is available in your country)
120 g butter, melted
(Filling)
1 can (385 g) sweetened condensed
milk
125 ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice
2 egg yolks
1 large mango (diced, pureed in a
blender and then strained through a sieve)
1/3 cup caster sugar
(Meringue topping)
5 egg whites
150 ml sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
5 ml lemon juice
½ tsp Cream of Tartar
Method:
1.
Pre-heat oven to 180 C.
2.
In a food processor, process the biscuits to fine
crumbs. Add the melted butter and mix well. Firmly press crumb mixture into a
medium-size tart pan or loose bottomed tart tin, covering the base and sides
evenly.
3.
In a mixing bowl, whisk condensed milk while adding
lemon juice a bit at a time. Add whisked egg yolks to the condensed milk
mixture and mix well. Then proceed to add the caster sugar and mango puree and
mix well. Pour mixture into tart pan, and then bake for 10-12 minutes.
4.
While filling is baking, use a clean dry bowl to
whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks (make sure your whisk is also clean and
dry). Add cream of tartar, and then add sugar a little bit at a time, whisking
continuously until the mixture is thick and glossy. Add vanilla and lemon juice
and fold into meringue mixture.
5.
Remove tart pan from oven after baking for 10
minutes. Turn down heat to 150 C.
6.
Immediately top with meringue mixture, working
carefully. Create beautiful swirls on top with a palette knife or the back of a
spoon. Return to oven to 20-30 minutes and bake at 150 degrees Celsius, or
until meringue is a pale golden brown colour. (Make sure to continuously check
on the meringue at intervals to ensure that it doesn't burn in the oven)
7.
Remove from oven and cool completely in a fridge
for at least 2-3 hours and then slice and serve.
(recipe adapted from here)
