I’m back! With a new batch of recipes, that are most importantly DELICIOUS, but also gluten free and low FODMAP *with higher FODMAP variations where suitable*. First up is a sweet, decadent, citrusy bang of a recipe – gluten free lemon meringue pie.
Lemon meringue pie isn’t something I’d eaten a lot of until I went about testing this recipe. You don’t see it a lot on menus and rarely is it gluten free! But when I have been able to get my hands on it, oh how have I been suckered in by its charm. Testing this recipe has meant that we’ve had a lemon meringue pie in the house every week or so for a while, and reader, I’ve been totally OK with it.
This method is on the longer side, but that’s just because I wanted to detail each step to make them as straightforward as possible. The three stages are pastry, lemon curd filling and Italian meringue – and they’re so worth it, I swear. I like to make each in turn and then to assemble, this way you remove any risk of weepy meringue or soggy pastry. It means the meringue stays glossy, holds its shape beautifully and the curd sets perfectly – plus you can split the stages up over a few days if easier too. The full recipe is below.
This method is on the longer side, but that’s just because I wanted to detail each step to make them as straightforward as possible. The three stages are pastry, lemon curd filling and Italian meringue – and they’re so worth it, I swear. I like to make each in turn and then to assemble, this way you remove any risk of weepy meringue or soggy pastry. It means the meringue stays glossy, holds its shape beautifully and the curd sets perfectly – plus you can split the stages up over a few days if easier too. The full recipe is below.
Gluten free lemon meringue pie recipe notes!
- Gluten free pastry really loves a night in the fridge – it’s much easier roll out and it helps stop it from cracking. Don’t skip this step, your pastry will thank you for it!
- Swap out the ground almonds for another 20g of gluten free plain flour if you can’t eat nuts
- I used FREEE’s gluten free plain flour for this pastry, but whichever brand you use, make sure it’s a blend rather than a single flour, i.e rice
- Make sure that the lemon curd is bubbling for two minutes, to ensure that the cornflour works its magic and sets the filling
- I’m torn about the lemon zest in this recipe – I love the flavour it adds but not so much the texture. Up to you whether you would like to add or not, I see how I fancy on the day
- You need a 23cm/9inch loose-bottomed fluted tart tin to make this recipe, along with a sugar thermometer and an electric whisk
Ingredients
For the sweet pastry:
180g gluten free plain flour
20g ground almonds
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
100g unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons icing sugar
1 medium egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons lactose free milk or almond milk
For the filling:
5 tablespoons cornflour
250g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
310ml water
juice and zest (optional) of 3 lemons (you’re after about 100ml lemon juice)
5 free-range medium egg yolks
40g unsalted butter, cold
For the meringue:
double the weight of the egg whites in caster sugar (around 300g sugar)
75ml water
5 free-range medium egg whites
Method
Start the pastry the day before. Add the gluten free flour, ground almonds, xanthan gum and salt into a bowl and stir with a fork to combine. Add the butter to the flour mixture and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, use a food processor and pulse the ingredients to reach this stage (I find this so much easier as I have hot hands!) Sift over the sugar and stir it in. If you’re using a food processor, tip the ingredients out into a large bowl.
Whisk the egg and vanilla extract together and stir the liquid into the flour mixture, little by little, distributing it as quickly as possible with a cutlery knife. You might not need all of the liquid, so see how you go. If you need any more, add a teaspoon of milk at a time. Use the flat of the knife to bring the dough together, then pull the pastry together with your hands, tip out onto cling film and shape into a disc, touching the dough as little as possible, but making sure the dough is smooth and there are no cracks. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge overnight.
When you’re ready to bake the pastry, preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6 and have ready a 23cm/9inch loose-bottomed fluted tart tin. Roll out your pastry onto a clean, floured surface, to the thickness of a pound coin. Using your rolling pin, lift up the pastry and place it over the tart tin, pushing the pastry into the edges. Cut off any excess, leaving a small overhang and place the pastry in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
When chilled, use a sharp knife or the rolling pin to trim the pastry to the edges of the tin. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork, then line the pastry with scrunched and un-scrunched greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the paper and baking beans and bake the tart case for another 5-10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden, sandy to the touch and has no grey patches. Turn the oven off and leave the tart case to cool.
To make the lemon curd filling, add the cornflour, sugar, salt, water and lemon juice and zest (if using) to a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Add the egg yolks and whisk again. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and cook the mixture for about 6-7 minutes, stirring all the time. Once the mixture starts to thicken and bubble, cook for another couple of minutes (this ensures the cornflour does its setting thing) and then remove from the heat. Whisk in the cold butter, allow to cool for a few minutes and then pour the filling into your cooled tart case. Allow the filling to cool to room temp, before placing the pie in the fridge for at least a couple of hours, or until fully chilled and set.
To make the meringue, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Rest a sugar thermometer on the side of the pan, so that it’s touching the liquid and then bring the sugar to 120C. Meanwhile, add the egg whites to a large bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Once the sugar reaches 120C, slowly pour it into the egg whites, continuing to whisk all the time. Turn the whisk up to high and whisk the meringue until it’s cooled to room temperature.
To finish the pie, dollop the meringue on top of the lemon curd, carefully pushing it down, right to the edges. Swoosh with the back of a spoon or palette knife any way you like, then with a blowtorch (or under a hot grill) lightly caramelise the edges before serving. Before the meringue is added, the pie can be made 2 days ahead and kept chilled in the fridge.
Other delicious low FODMAP recipes feat. pastry – Rhubarb & ginger frangipane tart and Goats cheese, radish & spinach free form tart
