Lemon meringue slice

We’re putting this slice up there as one of the all-time greats! The pastry is soft and buttery and the perfect partner for the tangy lemon filling. The meringue on top is sweet and light and really ties it all together, making every mouthful absolutely perfect. While the recipe gives instructions for making your own pastry, you can use ready-made shortcrust pastry if you prefer, just follow the instructions for blind baking. It’s the perfect slice to serve up when you have company and a big-time people pleaser for young and old.

Ingredients

• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup cornflour
• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• 60g butter, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon rind, finely grated
• 3 egg yolks

Pastry

• 1 2/3 cups plain flour, plus extra for kneading
• 180g butter, chilled, chopped
• 2 tablespoons iced water

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method

1. Make Lemon curd: Place sugar and cornflour in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Gradually stir in lemon juice and 1 cup water until combined. Stir over heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture bubbles and thickens. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon rind and egg yolks until combined. Pour into a shallow dish. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold.

2. Meanwhile, make Pastry: Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges of pan. Place flour and butter in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs form. With motor running, add iced water. Process until pastry comes together, adding an extra 1 tablespoon iced water, if needed. Shape pastry into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Place pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out to a 28cm x 40cm rectangle. Line prepared pan with pastry. Trim edge. Prick base with a fork. Refrigerate for 40 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Place pan on a baking tray. Line pastry with baking paper. Fill with baking weights or uncooked rice. Blind-bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights or rice. Bake for a further 15 to 18 minutes or until golden. Place pan on a wire rack to cool.

4. Make Meringue: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and glossy, and sugar has dissolved.

5. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan-forced. Carefully move oven rack to highest shelf. Spoon lemon curd into pastry case. Level surface with a spatula. Transfer slice to a serving plate. Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle. Pipe meringue onto lemon curd. Bake on top shelf of oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until meringue starts to turn golden in colour (see note). Cool completely. Cut into 24 pieces. Serve.