Light and zesty lemon meringue tart

This recipe has the same delicious taste as the original, classic recipe however, with a some reduced-fat substitutions, you can enjoy this dessert dish with a few less calories.

Basically everyone goes crazy for this light and sweet treat that mixes the perfect amount of citrus and meringue together to make a delicious tart with a crispy homemade pastry for the base. You can serve this up as dessert for special events or even as the perfect afternoon tea treat to go with your cuppa. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar mixture
• 100g reduced-fat margarine spread
  Lemon filling
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
• 50g reduced-fat margarine spread
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 egg white

Method

1. Add flour, sugar and spread into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1 tablespoon of chilled water. Process until mixture turns into dough. Add more water if necessary. Turn pastry onto lightly floured work surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape dough into disc. Wrap in cling wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200C. Grease 3cm-deep, 23cm-base round loose-based can tin. Place pastry between two sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Place pastry in tin and mould to sides. Trim excess. Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes or until firm.
3. Place tin on baking tray. Line pastry with baking paper and place weights on top. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool.
4. For filling, add cornflour, 3/4 cup cold water, lemon juice, half lemon rind and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Whisk mixture together. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until begins to boil and thicken. Remove from heat. Whisk in spread, egg yolks and remaining lemon rind. Set aside to cool slightly. Pour lemon mixture into pastry case. Set aside to cool.
5. Increase oven temperature to 220C. Use an electric mixture to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add any remaining sugar. Beat mixture for 10 minutes until sugar has completely dissolved. Spoon over lemon and spread to smoothen out. Use back of spoon to lift and form peaks in meringue. Bake for 10 minutes or until tips of peaks are lightly golden. Set aside to cool. Serve.