These mini apple meringue pies are sweet, fruity and decadent enough to be served in any first class restaurant. They cost hardly anything to make but look like a professional effort. The perfect dessert treat for when you have friends and family over for tea. Christmas, Easter or Birthday celebrations would be a seriously perfect excuse to make these sweet treats. You could even top them with grated chocolate for a naughty spin.
Ingredients
- 250g ready-made sweet short-crust pastry or
- For the pastry:
- 125g plain flour
- 1tbsp caster sugar
- 75g chilled, cubed butter
- For the filling:
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 3tbsp light brown sugar
- For the meringue:
- 2 egg whites
- 100g caster sugar
- You will also need:
- 12 hole muffin tray
Method
If making pastry:
- Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz it comes together as a dough
- Turn out onto a floured surface, bring together and knead into a ball
- Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 6
To make the pie:
- Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of baking parchment to about 3mm thick
- Remove the top sheet of paper and using a 9cm round cutter cut out 12 discs
- Using a small ball of pastry, press the pastry discs into each hole of the muffin tray
- Prick the bases with a fork, line each one with a cupcake case. Chill for a further 20 minutes
- Pour baking beads or dried rice into the cupcake cases and bake for 10 minutes
- Remove from the oven, remove the beads and paper and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350f.180c/fan 160c/gas mark 4
- Peel and core the apples and cut into cubes
- Place the apples with the sugar in a saucepan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Set aside to cool
- In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- A tablespoon at a time add the sugar, continuing to whisk all the time
- Drain the apple mixture and divide between the 12 pastry cases
- Spoon the meringue over the top and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool
Top tip for making Mini apple meringue pie
Instead of 12 mini pies, this recipe will make one pie in a 20cm dish. Bake the pastry for 10 minutes extra.
