No Drama Dessert

We do love a lemon meringue pie, but it can be pretty tricky to master. Thankfully, Rosie Reynolds, author of The Shortcut Cook (Hardie Grant, £15), has shared this cheat’s recipe. “Firstly, I don’t bother making pastry,” she reveals. “Instead, I use a delicious crunchy biscuit base. Secondly, I buy a jar of lemon curd – no more lemon-flavoured scrambled eggs! Lastly, I use the liquid from a can of chickpeas, aka aquafaba, to create the best, sweet, pillowy meringue crown.” Anyone else salivating?

Lemon meringue pie

Ingredients: (Serves 8) ● 300g digestive biscuits ● 150g butter, melted ● 2 x 312g jar lemon curd ● Liquid from 400g tin chickpeas ● 2tsp cream of tartar ● 100g caster sugar Method: 1. Put the biscuits into a food processor and whizz to form fine crumbs, then add the melted butter and pulse to combine. Alternatively, put the biscuits into a strong sealable plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin, then stir together with the butter in a bowl.

2. Use the back of a spoon to press the buttery crumbs into the base and sides of a deep 22cm (8½ in) pie dish or tart tin.

3. Chill in the freezer for ten minutes. Remove the base from the freezer and fill with the lemon curd, then chill until ready to serve.

4. To make the meringue topping, pour the chickpea water (aquafaba) into a large bowl. Add the cream of tartar, then beat the mixture for ten minutes with an electric whisk. After five minutes, gradually add in the sugar, beating after each addition, until the meringue is thick and glossy.

5. Pile the meringue over the lemon curd up to the edge of the crust. Put in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove from the freezer and use a cook’s blow torch to brown the meringue.

6. Cut into wedges and serve.