This is one of the simplest of desserts and can be made using bought pie case or pastry and uses up those soft fruits that might be over ripening! Exactly the same principle can be used using different soft summer fruits. Plums, Nectarines, Peaches can all be used. Use this recipe as a guide for your own inventiveness!
You will need:
A pastry pie shell or make your own sweet short crust pastry
My Sweet Shortcrust Pastry recipe for a 25cm diameter pie dish
130gms of plain flour
1 tablespoon of custard powder
1 tablespoon of Icing Sugar
60 gms of butter
1 egg yolk
a little water to combine
Filling:
About 500gms of washed fruit such as 400gms of stoned and quartered fresh Apricots and 100gms of quartered fresh strawberries. The riper the fruit the better. Other soft summer stone fruits can be substituted
Sprinkle of Icing Sugar or Honey
1 splash of liqueur - optional
Meringue
2 eggwhites beaten with ½ cup of caster sugar until stiff
Method:
Pre- Heat Oven to 170° c (or 150° c fan oven)
The pastry shell can be blind baked, but I usually just ensure it is well chilled - or frozen and place the filling and meringue on top and bake straight away.
Toss the fruits in the icing sugar/honey and liqueur if using. No need to pre-cook
Spoon the meringue over the pie. Make sure the meringue comes right up to the pastry edge to seal in the fruits.
Place in oven for 45 minutes - by which time the meringue should be starting to set - still marshmallowy and beginning to take on a bit of colour
At its best when served warm
©Ian Haines & the albany farmers market Wednesday, 19 January 2011
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