Lemon Meringue Pie

Sieve the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl, chop and add the butter then using a fork or pastry blender work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the egg yolk and water and stir to form a ball of dough, cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven and rub some butter around the inside of a 18cm/7 inch round, loose bottom cake tin.

Dust the dough with flour, roll it out into a 23cm/9 inch circle, lift it into the tin and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers.

Using a fork, prick the pastry base then cover with a sheet of kitchen foil and scatter ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the surface.

Bake for 20 minutes then remove from the oven, carefully lift the foil and contents off the pastry and return it to the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Squeeze the lemons into a saucepan, add the sugar and heat gently to make a syrup.

Measure the cornflour and water into a small bowl and stir into a paste then continue stirring as you pour half the warm syrup into the bowl. Immediately tip everything back into the saucepan, return to a medium heat, and stir as the sauce thickens and bubbles.

Remove the pan from the heat, cut the butter into cubes, add them to the saucepan and stir until melted.

Add the yolk and beat vigorously, then pour everything into the pastry case and bake for 10 minutes.

Sift the icing sugar and a teaspoon of cornflour into a small bowl.

Put the egg whites into a mixing bowl, beat until stiff then add the icing sugar mix, a spoon at a time, beating until it is all incorporated.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of caster sugar over the top and using a metal spoon, mix it in with a cutting and folding action.

Spoon the meringue onto the lemon pie, leaving peaks on the top and bake for 15 minutes then turn the oven off leaving the pie in the oven to cool.

Serve warm or leave to cool, transfer the pie to a serving plate and refrigerate.