Lemon (or Lime) Meringue Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 250 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 60 – 80 g sugar ( ¼ cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• skin of one lemon - grated (or a little lemon extract)
• salt - a pinch
• 1 egg
• 80 – 100 g butter

Pie

• 3 tbsp custard powder and 1 tbsp cornstarch
• ½ pint of water (2 cups)
• 2 oz margarine (2 tbsp)
• 3 – 4 oz sugar (½ cup)
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 lemons or large limes, squeezed for juice

Meringue

• 2 egg whites
• 2 oz sugar
• a little vanilla extract or lime juice to get rid of the "fresh" taste

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients, line a spring-form or pie pan and bake for 10 minutes, take out of oven, then increase oven temperature to 275°F.
2. Prepare pie crust, prepare filling:.
3. Blend cornstarch and custard powder with cold water and put in a sauce pan.
4. Cook gently until thickened, take off fire and add margarine, sugar, egg yolks and finely grated rinds.
5. Add lemon (or lime) juice and pour into prepared pie crust.
6. Whisk egg whites stiffly with a little vanilla extract or lemon juice and fold in nearly all the sugar.
7. Pile on top of the lemon filling, make peaks with back of tablespoon and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
8. Bake at 275°F.
9. When meringue feels firm to the touch, take out of oven (about 30 minutes or more).