Gower Kitchen, Uplands Recipe

Shortcrust Pastry

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

70g icing sugar

125g unsalted butter, cubed

2 egg yolks

For the filling

5 eggs

140g caster sugar

150ml double cream

Juice 3 lemons (about 100ml) and 2 of lemon zest

Italian Meringue

300g caster sugar

4 egg whites

METHOD

To make the pastry, mix the flour and icing sugar in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers until crumbly. Mix in the egg yolks. If the pastry is still too dry, add 1-2 tbsp water until it comes together. Flatten out the pastry with your hands, wrap the dough in cling film, then chill for at least 30 mins. While the pastry is chilling, make the filling. Beat all the ingredients, except for the zest, together. Sieve the mixture, then stir in the zest.

     Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift into a 23cm tart tin. Press down gently on the bottom and sides, then trim off any excess pastry. Stab a few holes in the bottom with a fork and put back in the fridge for 30 mins.

     Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the tart with foil and fill with rice or dried beans. Bake for 10 mins, then remove the tart tin from the oven, discard the foil, and bake for another 20 mins until golden. When the pastry is ready, remove it from the oven, pour in the lemon mixture and bake again for 30-35 mins until just set. Chill in the fridge until cool.

    For the meringue, put the sugar and 65ml of water in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once it is dissolved, bring to the boil and use a sugar thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. 

     Place the egg whites into a food mixer and whisk until stiff.

     When the temperature reaches 118C slowly pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream into the now stiff egg whites and continue whisking for 10 mins.

     To serve we glaze the meringue and tart with a blow touch and serve with seasonal fruits.