This recipe shows how to make your own homemade, buttery pastry which is the perfect base to this tropical flavoured dessert. With tangy pineapple, sweet meringue and a crumbly base, this dessert is really a really delicious after dinner treat. Serve with ice cream or cream for a luxurious end to your Sunday roast or for a mid-week pick me up.
Ingredients
- For the pastry:
- 150g plain flour
- 75g butter
- For the filling:
- 425g can pineapple pieces in juice, drained weight 250g
- 1tbsp cornflour
- 2 large eggs, separated
- Knob of butter
- 125g caster sugar
- You will also need:
- 23cm loose-based flan tin
Method
To make the pastry: Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter, then add 2tbsp cold water and mix with a round-bladed knife to a dough. Knead to a round, then roll it out and line the tin. Chill for 30 minutes.
Set the oven to 200°C/392°F/Gas Mark 6. Prick the pastry base, then line it with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out the foil and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until it’s browned. Take out of the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 150°C/302°F/Gas Mark 2.
To make the filling: Put the drained pineapple in a pan and crush it with a wooden spoon. Add the cornflour made into a paste with 2tbsp of the fruit juice. Bring to the boil over a low heat. Take off the heat and quickly stir in the egg yolks with a knob of butter. Set aside.
To make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Whisk in half the sugar, then add the rest of the sugar, a tablespoonful at a time.
Spread the filling in the pastry case. Put the meringue on top, using a palette knife, and bake for 20-25 minutes until just tinged brown. Cool for about an hour before serving with cream, if you like.
Top tip for making Pineapple meringue pie
You can use ready-made shortcrust pastry if you want a quicker dessert.
