WanderSups chef Hannah Gregory offers us a dish full of sunshine to brighten up even the bleakest of times. If ever there was a time to treat ourselves. . .
We are most definitely in 2021, (my last recipe submission was in that weird “what year is it?” phase.) And so far in 2021 we have seen further lockdowns, some very grey weather and general bleakness sweeping the world.
It’s time to pull out the big guns. It’s time for pie.
And not just any pie – a pie with a buttery biscuit base (extra points if you read that in the voice of Gregg Wallace). This pie features tangy homemade lemon curd – because let’s face it, what else is there to do right now other than lovingly stir the juice of lemons until they thicken into glorious buttery curd, and then top it with lightly torched, billowy meringue. This isn’t just a pie, this is a WanderSups pie (again, extra points if you read that in the M&S lady’s voice).
The curd does take a while, I’m not going to sugar coat it. You’re going to want to pop on a playlist for this (see above) because it is a labour of love – the stirring does go on a bit but the reward is so worth it. I highly encourage some light ovenside dancing whilst this is on the go. . . it makes the whole process a lot more enjoyable and the smugness of making your own curd is unparalleled. You will have some curd left over and I find it best to eat this with a spoon, straight from the fridge, full Nigella style.
I don’t want to hear your excuses of veganuary or January diets. Just sit back and enjoy the indulgence.
And if you are still on the health train, cut this recipe out and save it for when you fall off because this, ladies and gents, is not one to skip.
YUZU, LEMON & WHITE CHOCOLATE MERINGUE PIE (Serves 6)
Spotify playlist – WanderSups Let’s Cook
Tipple of choice – Eiswein Riesling. . . it works, trust me.
Ingredients:
10 large egg yolks (save your whites for the meringue)
300g golden caster sugar
Zest of 4 lemons
200ml lemon juice
50ml yuzu juice
180g unsalted butter – cubed at room temp
110g digestive biscuits
55g of unsalted butter (melted)
85g of white chocolate (melted)
Handful of white chocolate chips
100g of egg white
200g of caster sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Method:
First up: curd. In a heatproof bowl whisk all the ingredients except the butter. Place over a pan of simmering water and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, or the mixture reaches 820C on a sugar thermometer. I’m not sure of the science here but sometimes this has taken me 20 minutes, sometimes it has taken 45 – you just need to pray to the curd gods and hope for the best.
After the curd reaches temp, remove from the heat and slowly stir in the butter a cube at a time until melted and all the butter has been incorporated.
Pass the mix through a sieve into a clean bowl and cover the surface with cling film (the film needs to sit on the surface to avoid skin issues). Pop in the fridge until you are ready to assemble.
For the biscuit base, smash up your biscuits in a freezer bag with a rolling pin.
Stir in the melted butter and white chocolate and stir till combined.
Stir through the white chocolate chips.
Tip your chocolatey crumbs into a pie dish and press down to make a solid base. Pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Once the base and curd has set, it’s time to assemble. I put my curd into a piping bag because I like to feel fancy but you can spoon it onto the base and smooth it out with the back of a spoon. Return to the fridge to set.
Preheat the oven to 190C.
To make the meringues, whisk the egg whites and vinegar until stiff peaks form. I do this in a stand mixer. If you don’t have one of those, an electric hand held will work. If you don’t have one of those, may the gods be ever in your favour.
Stir the cornflour into the sugar ensuring there are no lumps and add into the egg whites a tablespoon at a time, until it is fully incorporated. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
Pipe or spoon the meringue on top of the curd in large billowy clouds.
Pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the meringue begins to turn golden on top. Keep an eye on it as it can catch quickly.
Finish the pie by lightly torching the meringue with a blow torch – if any of the peaks set on fire (which they will) just blow them out – it all adds to the drama. If you don’t have a blow torch just skip this last step, but I would highly encourage buying one as they are super cheap and make you feel very profesh.
Find out about Hannah’s upcoming Supper Clubs and what she is currently cooking via Instagram @WanderSups and wandersups.com
