Level up your meringue pie by lacing the lemony middle layer with Campari and sweet red vermouth. Top with billowing swirls of scorched meringue
Ingredients
- pre-rolled shortcrust pastry 320g
CURD
- oranges 3-4, juiced to make 160ml, plus pared zest of 2 oranges
- lemons 3-4, juiced to make 100ml, plus pared zest of 1 lemon
- coriander seeds 1 tsp
- juniper berries 1 tsp, crushed
- cornflour 50g
- caster sugar 150g
- eggs 3 large, yolks only (use the whites for the meringue, below)
- unsalted butter 75g, cubed
- Campari 4 tbsp
- sweet red vermouth 2 tbsp
MERINGUE
- egg whites (see above)
- caster sugar 175g
Method
- STEP 1In a small pan, heat the orange and lemon juices and zests, along with the coriander seeds, juniper berries and 150ml of water. Bring to the boil, take off the heat, put a lid on and leave to infuse until needed.
- STEP 2Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Unroll the pastry and drape it over a 20cm (4cm-deep) loose-based cake tin, pushing the pastry into the tin’s edges and up the sides. The tin should be evenly covered with pastry, so patch up any exposed areas with excess pastry. Trim the top of the pastry, leaving a 1-2cm overhang. Chill for 45 minutes.
- STEP 3Prick the pastry base with a fork, cover it with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and trim the edges with a small serrated knife. Allow to cool.
- STEP 4Meanwhile, make the curd. Strain the citrus liquid that’s been infusing into a medium pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Mix the cornflour with 4 tbsp of cold water to slacken it. Bring the citrus liquid to the boil and quickly whisk in the cornflour to prevent any lumps. Turn down the heat and whisk for 2-3 minutes to thicken. Take off the heat and add the sugar, then the yolks, then the butter, Campari and vermouth. Whisk to combine, transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Give it a whisk and transfer to the pastry case, then chill for 1 hour or until set.
- STEP 5Once set, make the meringue. Put the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl. Put it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the hot water, and whisk for 5 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat and continue whisking with an electric whisk for 5-6 minutes until it reaches stiff peaks.
- STEP 6Take the tart out of the fridge, then spoon the meringue on top of the tart, swirling to create peaks and troughs. Serve as it is or use a blowtorch or the grill to scorch the tips of the meringue, if you like.
