Gluten-free Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon curd and meringue is one of the great sweet duos. And the pillowy meringue and tart filling are encased in a gluten-free case, making this a great treat for everyone! Xanthan gum is available from health-food stores and some supermarkets, as are rice flour and chickpea flour (the latter is sometimes labelled besan or gram flour). Any leftover dough can be frozen for several months.

Gluten-free lemon meringue pie

Makes 1 large pie or 6 small ones

250 g lemon curd
pure icing sugar, for dusting

MERINGUE
120 g caster sugar
2 egg whites

GLUTEN-FREE SWEET PASTRY
150 g rice flour, plus extra for dusting
150 g chickpea flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
100 g ground almonds
100 g pure icing sugar
160 g chilled unsalted butter, diced
2 eggs

Method

1. For the pastry, sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of a food processor bowl. Add the butter bit by bit, pulsing it into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the eggs one at a time and pulse until a smooth dough forms.
    
2. Remove the dough from the food processor and roll into two balls. Slightly flatten each ball with a rolling pin to make a 2 cm thick disc. Wrap the discs in cling film and place one in the freezer and the other in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
    
3. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly dust your bench with rice flour. Roll out the disc of chilled dough to a 2 mm thickness and use to line one large (about 26 cm) round tart tin or six small tart tins. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and place a sheet of baking paper on top, then fill with pastry weights, dried beans or rice.
    
4. Place the tart shells in the oven and blind bake for 15 minutes to set the dough. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the pastry is golden and dry. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
    
5. Meanwhile, for the meringue, increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper, then scatter over the sugar and warm it in the oven until the edges are just melting, about 3 minutes – keep a close eye on it, so you don’t end up with caramel.
    
6. Whisk the egg whites in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the warmed sugar and mix on the highest speed for 5 minutes until the mixture is very stiff and glossy and the sugar has completely dissolved.
    
7. When the pastry has cooled, fill with cold lemon curd. Using a piping bag or spatula, pile a healthy amount of meringue on top of the curd. Place under a very hot grill or blast with a kitchen blowtorch until the meringue is firm and lightly caramelised. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm slightly, then dust with icing sugar and serve.
    

Kitchen by Mike by Mike McEnearney - Photography by Alan Benson