Lemon Meringue Pie

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.  Add the butter and rub with until you get a fine breadcrumb.  Add the sugar and egg yolk and egg and mix to a firm dough. If the dough is a little dry add a touch of water.  Wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan, 375°F, gas mark 5) and grease a 22cm dish. Place the dish onto a baking tray.

Roll out the pastry until it is large enough to generously fit the dish. Ease the pastry into the corners of the dish leaving excess pastry falling over the sides - don't trim at this stage. Prick the base with a fork.

Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Trim the excess pastry using a sharp knife. Bake the pastry case blind for about 15 minutes - remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Lower the oven heat to 150°C (130°C fan, 300°F, gas mark 2).

For the lemon curd, place the sugar and cornflour into a large bowl and add just enough water to make a paste.  Bring  the water and the lemon zest to the boil in a small pan.  Gradually pour the hot liquid onto the cornflour mix, whisking all the time until smooth.

Beat in the egg yolks, lemon juice and butter. Return to the pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until thickened and smooth. Pour into the pastry case, level and leave to cool slightly.

For the meringue topping, place the egg whites into a clean dry bowl, whisk until they form stiff peaks. Whisk caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well and at a high speed between each addition. Spoon the meringue over the curd and swirl into peaks or alternatively pipe on top of the curd.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes until the meringue is crisp on the outside and soft underneath. Serve warm or cold.