Rhubarb Meringue Pie

A delicious variation on the classic, this will be a perfect dessert for a special family meal or Sunday roast. Serve with single cream or a spoonful of crème fraiche.

Ingredients

350g shortcrust pastry

Flour, for dusting

400g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into short lengths

150g caster sugar

Zest and juice of ½ orange

2 medium egg yolks

2 tbsp cornflour

20g unsalted butter

FOR THE MERINGUE

4 medium egg whites

225g caster sugar

1 For the pastry case, roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 23cm round loose-based fluted flan tin. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, Gas Mark 6.

2 For the filling, spread the rhubarb in a large shallow roasting tin and sprinkle with 50g of the sugar and the orange zest and juice. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes until tender. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and leave to cool.

3 Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper and fill with ceramic baking beans (see Tip). Bake for 10 minutes then remove the lining and beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.

4 Place the rhubarb in a large non-stick pan with the rest of the caster sugar, egg yolks, cornflour and butter. Heat gently, stirring all the time, until the mixture comes to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Leave to cool then spread in the pastry case.

5 To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl until stiffly peaking. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, to form a firm, glossy meringue. Spoon over the rhubarb filling and swirl with the back of a spoon. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the meringue is golden. Serve warm or cold.

TIP

If you don’t have ceramic baking beans then use dried beans or lentils instead.