Passion Fruit Meringue Pie

First of all Ramadhan Mubarak to all my Muslim readers, we have started our holy month of fasting.
Passion fruits are easily available I have been experimenting with passion fruits and trying out various passion fruit recipes.
Always buy nice fat heavy ones, and leave them to get all nice and wrinkly.

 

I discovered this lovely recipe while searching for something to make for dessert and immediately fell for it.  I used half the amount of the recipe and made my own sweet crust pastry.

Recipe: Passion fruit Meringue pie  recipe from BBC Good Food

Sweet crust pastry : ( recipe adapted from sweet tart dough from Tools & Techniques from Williams -Sonoma)

1 1/4 cup plain flour, sifted
1/2 cup icing sugar
pinch salt
125 g cold butter
1 large egg ( original recipe used 2 yolks )
a little milk ( or cream)


1. Place flour in a large mixing bowl, with icing sugar, grate the cold butter in and rub in, don't rub too much in case it warms the whole thing.

2. Lightly beat the eggs and add it into the flour. Lightly mix with your hands till the mixture comes together. Add a little milk if the mixture looks too dry. Bring the dough together till you get a nice rough ball. a give a knead place on a cling film sheet and wrap it around the dough. Place inside a fridge for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius / gas mark 6. Lightly grease a small loose bottom baking tray with butter or use a pie dish.

4. Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking tray and transfer carefully into the prepared tray. Trim excess pastry and store in the freezer for another pie dish. Place a baking paper on top or foil, and add some rice grains or dried beans and bake blind in the oven till the pastry and nice and golden. Remove from oven and remove the beans. Cool, while you prepare the filling.

 Filling :
about 3-4 passion fruit
75g castor sugar or superfine sugar( you do not have either , grind regular white sugar in a grinder)
2 tbsp corn flour
100ml cold water
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1. To make the passion fruit filling, strain the pulp through a fine mesh sieve ( press down in a circular motion) into a measuring jug till almost 100 ml. The last fruit should be added whole, with the seeds.

2. Place the corn flour, castor sugar, water and the passion fruit in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat till thick. Take it off the heat and while whisking stir in the egg yolk. Whisk very quickly, you don't want scrambled eggs. Let it cool.

Meringue :
3 egg whites
125g castor sugar or superfine sugar
          
1. In a clean oil-free bowl, beat egg whites till stiff, add sugar a tablespoon at a time till it gets nice glossy and very stiff.

To assemble the  pie, :

 Pour the cooled custard into the cooled pastry case.  Spread the meringue on top.
Place in a preheated oven of  180 degrees( gas mark 4) and make sure you don't keep opening and closing the oven door. Check after 30 minutes, just a quick peek. If the meringue is nice and golden on top, switch off your oven, leave the door slightly open and let it cool inside the oven!  Make sure you leave the oven door slightly open or the whole thing will fall flat! 

Slice into generous wedges and serve!!