My lovely foodie buddy Emma came to visit a while back and we spent a fun-filled foodie afternoon cooking up a dinner feast for our families.  One of my favourite things to do is to get together with a foodie friend and cook.  I love the opportunity to learn a new recipe, to pick up some new tips and tricks. Of course, the banter and the feast afterwards… Oh yes:  Talk about my happy place!    Emma whipped up this lemon meringue pie (partly chosen as I fessed up that I’d never made one before) in what seemed like no time at all.  And get this: She didn’t even use a recipe, it was all in her head, she’s been making this since high school! I was in AWE and I made her give me the recipe: Damn it was good.

With it’s biscuit base this recipe is a bit like a cheesecake crossed with a traditional lemon meringue pie. The filling includes a can of condensed milk, which, frankly, takes any dessert to a whole new level. The result is a soft, sweet, lemony, creamy filling – no sign of gluggy gelatin here folks. Best of all this recipe is so simple to make, I made it on holiday at the beach using a handheld stick mixer to blitz the biscuits!  Lastly, this is an ideal dessert to make ahead of time (e.g. the day before you need it). It keeps well and I reckon it tastes even better the next day. Enjoy!

Ingredients

(For the biscuit base)
1 packet Arrowroot biscuits
110g melted butter
1/2 tsp mixed spice (optional)

(For the lemon filling)
3 tsp lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
395g tin sweetened condensed milk

(For the topping)
3 egg whites
1/3 cup caster sugar

Step 1: Make the biscuit base.  Grease and line a spring-form cake tin with baking paper (mine is 22cm in diameter). Crush biscuits to fine crumbs and add melted butter and mix. Press into the bottom of your cake tin.  Place in the fridge to set for a bit (half an hour is fine).

Step 2: Mix all the lemon filling ingredients together. Give them a good beat with a hand beater – but a wooden spoon will work well! Pour evenly over the biscuit base.

Step 3: Using a clean bowl, whip the egg whites and caster sugar together to form stiff peaks.  Carefully place it over  the lemon filling and smooth it down.  Place in a preheated oven (180 degrees) and bake for 15 minutes or until the egg whites are golden brown.  Leave to cool.  Serve with whipped cream or natural yogurt.

Thanks Emma for sharing this recipe!