LIME AND COCONUT MERINGUE PIE

A citrus pie with a twist: the rich, coconut-flavoured pastry case is filled with a creamy citrus custard and topped with a fluffy Swiss meringue and coconut flakes. Serves 8-10

For the pastry

100g (3½oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 1 medium egg yolk, at room temperature 50g (1¾oz) icing sugar A few drops of coconut extract (from supermarkets or online) 160g (5¾oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 medium egg, beaten, for brushing Ceramic or dried beans, for baking blind (see tip along the bottom of the next page)

For the lime custard filling

5 medium eggs plus 2 yolks, at room temperature 150g (5½oz) caster sugar Finely grated zest and juice of 5 unwaxed limes Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon 150ml (5fl oz) double cream, at room temperature A few drops of green edible food colouring (optional)

For the Swiss meringue

5 medium egg whites, at room temperature 250g (9oz) white caster sugar 50g (1¾oz) desiccated coconut 3tbsp coconut flakes (from supermarkets), to decorate Sugar thermometer Piping bag fitted with a star nozzle To make the pastry, put the butter and egg yolk in a mixing bowl. Sift the icing sugar over and add a few drops of coconut extract, then beat with a wooden spoon to combine. Sift the flour into the bowl and mix in, using the spoon and then your hands to make a firm dough. If it feels soft, wrap it in clingfilm and chill for 10-15 minutes until firm.

Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured worktop. Roll out to a 27cm (10¾in) disc and use this to line a 20.5cm (8in) round, deep, loosebased sandwich tin, greased with butter. Prick the base well with a fork and chill for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/

gas 4. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and bake it blind (see tip along bottom of page) for 15 minutes, then for a further 5 minutes after you have removed the lining paper and baking beans. Remove from the oven and brush the base with beaten egg. Bake for 5 minutes more until golden, then set aside to cool. Turn down the oven to 150°C/ fan 130°C/gas 2 and put a baking sheet in the oven. Place the eggs, yolks, caster sugar, the zests and juices and the cream in a large heatproof bowl and gently mix using a hand wire whisk. Add a few drops of green food colouring, if using, to give a light lime colour. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until it warms to the point where it is just comfortable to dip in your little finger – don’t let the mixture get hot or it will scramble. Transfer to a large jug.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set the pastry case, still in its tin, on top of it. Pour in half the filling. To avoid any spillage, place the baking sheet back on the oven shelf, half pulled out, and slowly pour enough of the remaining filling into the tin to come just below the pastry rim. Carefully slide the shelf back into the oven and bake for 12-16 minutes (start checking after 10 minutes) until the filling is just set but still has a slight wobble in the middle. Remove and leave to cool.

Turn up the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. To make the meringue, put the egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl and whisk with a hand wire whisk until combined but not frothy. Set over a pan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water) and whisk gently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 60-70°C/140-160°F on the sugar thermometer.

Place the bowl back on the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand-held electric whisk, and whisk on full speed until thick and glossy. Reduce the speed to