Lemon s’mores meringue pie

Method

• step 1

  Sift the flour and icing sugar together, and add the vanilla seeds. Rub in the butter, then stir the egg in to make a dough. Cover in clingfilm, then leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

• step 2

  Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Flour your surface and butter 6 x 10cm individual tart cases. Roll out the pastry to 2mm thick and cut into circles with a 15cm diameter. Carefully lift each one into the case and push it in so it fits snugly. Pop back in the fridge to firm up for 20 minutes.

• step 3

  Take out, line with baking paper or foil, and add a handful of rice or baking beans. Blind bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Remove the paper and beans and put the tarts back in for 5 minutes, or until the case is cooked. Take out and cool at room temperature.

• step 4

  To make the curd, mix the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a large glass bowl and sit over a pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. This should take 7-8 minutes. Beat in the butter a few cubes at a time until the curd is smooth. Cool with a piece of parchment paper or clingfilm on top.

• step 5

  Spread the marshmallows on a tray and toast with a blowtorch or under a hot grill until dark brown. Scrape them out, add to the curd and stir. Don’t worry about any lumps. Re-clingfilm the curd and allow to set in the fridge.

• step 6

  To make the meringue, put the sugar in a pan and pour 200g water over it. Heat until the sugar has dissolved then boil until the temperature reaches 116C on a sugar thermometer.

• step 7

  Meanwhile put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk at a slow speed. Once the sugar reaches 116C, increase the speed of whisking to create soft peaks. When the sugar reaches 121C, pour slowly into the egg whites while whisking at a high speed. Once the syrup has been added, whisk until the meringue cools to room temperature. Scrape into a piping bag with a 10-12mm plain nozzle.

• step 8

  Spoon the marshmallow and lemon curd into the tartlets and level to the tops. Pipe the Italian meringue over, in dots for a neat finish pulling the piping bag un to make a peak on each. Use a blowtorch or a hot grill, quickly brown the meringue. It will only take a few seconds.