Baked lemon meringue pie

Reduce the stress on the big night with this delicious make-ahead lemon meringue pie.

• 1 3/4 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
• 1/3 cup icing sugar mixture
• 175g butter, chilled, chopped
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons iced water, approximately

Lemon filling

• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup pure cream
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup caster sugar

Energy 2774kJ	Fat saturated 20.00g
Fat Total 37.00g	Carbohydrate sugars 47.00g
Carbohydrate Total 69.00g	Dietary Fibre 2.00g
Protein 12.00g	Cholesterol 246.00mg
Sodium 220.03mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

1. Step 1

   Process flour, almond meal, icing sugar and butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add yolks and water. Process until dough just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Grease a 4cm-deep, 23.5cm (base) round, loose-based fluted flan tin. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Line base and side of prepared pan with pastry. Trim edge. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Step 3

   Place prepared tin on a baking tray. Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights or rice and baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Cool pastry case. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan-forced.

4. Step 4

   Make lemon filling Whisk eggs, sugar, cream, lemon rind and lemon juice in a bowl. Stand for 5 minutes. Pour mixture into pastry case. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is just set. Cool for 15 minutes.

5. Step 5

   Make Meringue Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon meringue over filling. Bake for 5 minutes or until meringue is golden (see notes, to freeze). Serve.

To freeze: Cool lemon meringue pie. Place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.