Saturday afternoon well spent. Except, the turn out wasn't as clean-cut as I would've liked.... literally.
Don't get me wrong, I love lemons and lemon curd, and lemon everything. I have nothing against lemons. But, you have to tweak a few traditional things now and then- simply for the fun of a change! So, in this recipe, I substituted grapefruit in for the lemons in a traditional meringue pie. This is actually a half-truth, because I did eventually add lemon juice. The reason behind that decision is that the grapefruit wasn't quite sharp enough to cut through the sweetness as much as lemon manages to do so nicely. The result, though, was surprising, as you get a kick of sharp lemon, but then a taste of the fragrant grapefruit lingering behind it. It's an interesting twist.
I didn't chill my pie after I'd cooked it, which was a mistake! I have super oozing curd that tastes great but has a mind if it's own! So excuse the photos that don't have layer definition, but do recognize the truth of the effort, haha. It's honest baking.
The meringue was the most successful element; fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. The crust I'd rolled too thin, and the curd.. well, that's been expanded on already.
I reckon these could've been made into small tarts. They might be easier to handle because no cut-and-serve is necessary. .. and you get your own individual tartlet :)
Enjoy!
Don't get me wrong, I love lemons and lemon curd, and lemon everything. I have nothing against lemons. But, you have to tweak a few traditional things now and then- simply for the fun of a change! So, in this recipe, I substituted grapefruit in for the lemons in a traditional meringue pie. This is actually a half-truth, because I did eventually add lemon juice. The reason behind that decision is that the grapefruit wasn't quite sharp enough to cut through the sweetness as much as lemon manages to do so nicely. The result, though, was surprising, as you get a kick of sharp lemon, but then a taste of the fragrant grapefruit lingering behind it. It's an interesting twist.
I didn't chill my pie after I'd cooked it, which was a mistake! I have super oozing curd that tastes great but has a mind if it's own! So excuse the photos that don't have layer definition, but do recognize the truth of the effort, haha. It's honest baking.
The meringue was the most successful element; fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. The crust I'd rolled too thin, and the curd.. well, that's been expanded on already.
I reckon these could've been made into small tarts. They might be easier to handle because no cut-and-serve is necessary. .. and you get your own individual tartlet :)
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
- 250 g plain flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 125 g chilled butter, small cubes
- 2-3 tbsp iced water
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the chopped butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre and add nearly all the water. Grab a flat-bladed knife and in cutting motions bring the water and flour mixes together. They'll form small beads of dough while coming together. Only add more water, teaspoon by teaspoon, until the dough just holds together. When wet enough to hold together, gather it into a ball and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180˚ C (160˚C Fan)Grease a 25 cm wide, 3 cm deep pie dish. Once your pastry has chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured, clean surface bigger than the area of your pie dish. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry around the pin and unroll over the pie dish, make sure the pastry fills the whole depth on the sides, and then, using a knife, trim down the edges of the pie by lifting the dish and vertically cutting away from you along the rim of the dish. Place the pastry in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes. Once chilled, line with baking paper and fill with rice or baking beads for weight. Place in oven for 15 minutes. When done, remove rice/ baking beads and baking paper, and place back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. Increase your oven temperature to 200˚ C (180˚ Fan).
Grapefruit Filling:
- 30 g plain flour
- 30 g cornflour
- 250 g caster sugar
- 185 ml grapefruit juice
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp grapefruit and lemon zest
- 315 ml water
- 50 g unsalted butter, chopped
- 6 egg YOLKS (whites will be used for meringue)
Put the flours, sugars, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and zest in a pan. Gradually add the water while whisking over medium heat until smooth with no lumps. Use a wooden spoon to now stir the mixture on medium heat, cooking for 2 mins or until it becomes thick. Remove from the heat, grab your whisk, and vigorously whisk in the butter and egg yolks until combined. Return your pan to low heat and with your wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly for 3 mins or until really thick. (This might take longer, but it should resemble a thick yoghurt consistency. It will have stopped flowing out to fill the whole pan.) Once this consistency is reached, remove from heat and set aside.
Meringue:
- 6 egg WHITES
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 340 g caster sugar
Place egg whites and cream of tartar into a clean, dry large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until soft peaks form and then gradually add the sugar while beating. The meringue should be thick and glossy, and non-grainy.
ASSEMBLING:
Spread your grapefruit filling into the cooled pie shell and cover with the meringue which should be heaped in the middle. Work around the edges to bring meringue and pastry together and to cover the filling from sight. Using a knife, create small peaks on the meringue for visual effect. Then, place in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until peaks have lightly browned. When done, leave to cool and then chill in the fridge to set the curd before cutting.
I was impatient and didn't refrigerate mine, so below is what happened. It's okay though, every element of it tasted amazing! It just needs some work...
Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
- 250 g plain flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 125 g chilled butter, small cubes
- 2-3 tbsp iced water
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the chopped butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and mix with your hands. Make a well in the centre and add nearly all the water. Grab a flat-bladed knife and in cutting motions bring the water and flour mixes together. They'll form small beads of dough while coming together. Only add more water, teaspoon by teaspoon, until the dough just holds together. When wet enough to hold together, gather it into a ball and wrap in cling film. Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180˚ C (160˚C Fan)Grease a 25 cm wide, 3 cm deep pie dish. Once your pastry has chilled, roll it out on a lightly floured, clean surface bigger than the area of your pie dish. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry around the pin and unroll over the pie dish, make sure the pastry fills the whole depth on the sides, and then, using a knife, trim down the edges of the pie by lifting the dish and vertically cutting away from you along the rim of the dish. Place the pastry in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes. Once chilled, line with baking paper and fill with rice or baking beads for weight. Place in oven for 15 minutes. When done, remove rice/ baking beads and baking paper, and place back in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. Increase your oven temperature to 200˚ C (180˚ Fan).
Grapefruit Filling:
- 30 g plain flour
- 30 g cornflour
- 250 g caster sugar
- 185 ml grapefruit juice
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 tbsp grapefruit and lemon zest
- 315 ml water
- 50 g unsalted butter, chopped
- 6 egg YOLKS (whites will be used for meringue)
Put the flours, sugars, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and zest in a pan. Gradually add the water while whisking over medium heat until smooth with no lumps. Use a wooden spoon to now stir the mixture on medium heat, cooking for 2 mins or until it becomes thick. Remove from the heat, grab your whisk, and vigorously whisk in the butter and egg yolks until combined. Return your pan to low heat and with your wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly for 3 mins or until really thick. (This might take longer, but it should resemble a thick yoghurt consistency. It will have stopped flowing out to fill the whole pan.) Once this consistency is reached, remove from heat and set aside.
Meringue:
- 6 egg WHITES
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 340 g caster sugar
Place egg whites and cream of tartar into a clean, dry large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs until soft peaks form and then gradually add the sugar while beating. The meringue should be thick and glossy, and non-grainy.
ASSEMBLING:
Spread your grapefruit filling into the cooled pie shell and cover with the meringue which should be heaped in the middle. Work around the edges to bring meringue and pastry together and to cover the filling from sight. Using a knife, create small peaks on the meringue for visual effect. Then, place in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until peaks have lightly browned. When done, leave to cool and then chill in the fridge to set the curd before cutting.
I was impatient and didn't refrigerate mine, so below is what happened. It's okay though, every element of it tasted amazing! It just needs some work...
A little too gooey for my liking but the taste is there!
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