INGREDIENTS:
base
lemon filling
Italian meringue
INSTRUCTIONS:
- 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut
- 2 cups (300g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 200g unsalted butter, melted
lemon filling
- 4 eggs
- 2 egg yolks, extra
- 2 cups (440g) caster (superfine) sugar
- ⅓ cup (50g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 cup (250ml) lemon juice (about 3 medium lemons)
Italian meringue
- 175 gm caster sugar
- 2 eggwhites
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 60ml water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place the sugar, coconut, flour and butter in a bowl and stir until combined and mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You can also do this by popping everything in a food processor and pulsing it a few times.
- Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the base of a lightly greased 20 x 30cm slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper. It’s important to press the base right into the edges and corners of the tin so the lemon filling can’t escape down any gaps.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool completely.
- To make the lemon filling, place the eggs and extra egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the sugar, flour, lemon rind and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Carefully pour the filling over the cooked base and bake for 30 minutes or until just set. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.
- Meanwhile, for Italian meringue, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves and brush down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar particles. Increase heat to high and cook until syrup reaches 121C on a sugar thermometer (6-9 minutes). Meanwhile, when syrup reaches 110C, start whisking eggwhites and cream of tartar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually pour hot syrup over eggwhites in a thin stream, whisking continuously until cooled, thick and glossy (10-12 minutes).
- Remove cooled lemon slice from tin and cut into 12 pieces. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe swirls on top of each piece. Brown with a blowtorch (optional) and serve.
