Christmas Meringue Pies

• all-purpose flour↗175g g
• golden powdered sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• ground cinnamon↗1 tsp tsp
• ground cloves↗¼ tsp ground tsp

  ¼ ч.л. мелених

• cold butter↗100g g

  cut into pieces

• egg yolk↗1
• cornstarch2 tbsp tbsp
• clementines↗8

  zest and juice (125 ml juice needed)

• oranges↗3

  juiced

• lemon↗½

  juiced

• golden caster sugar↗100g g
• butter↗90g g

  cut into small pieces

• egg yolk↗4
• caster sugar↗200g g
• egg whites4

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the dough by processing flour, powdered sugar, spices and ½ tsp fine salt in a kitchen processor, then add butter and process again until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the yolk and 1‑2 tbsp cold water, process until a ball forms. Wrap and chill for 30 min.

2. 2

   For the pastry cream, mix cornstarch with a splash of clementine juice to dissolve, then pour into a saucepan with the remaining juice, orange juice, clementine zest, lemon juice and sugar. Bring briefly to a boil, remove from heat and gradually whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, then whisk the yolks thoroughly. Return to low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, then transfer to a bowl. Cover and let cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Roll out the dough (divide into two if needed) to a few‑mm thickness and line eight individual tartlet tins about 8‑9 cm in diameter. Trim the edges and chill 10 min. Pre‑heat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6.

4. 4

   Line the tins with parchment and several ceramic beans, and bake “blind” on a large tray for 10 min until golden‑brown.

5. 5

   Remove the beans and bake another 5‑8 min until the pastry is fully set, dry and crisp. Let cool in the tins.

6. 6

   For the meringue, place sugar in a saucepan with 50 ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat until the temperature reaches 116 °C on a candy thermometer. At about 110 °C beat the egg whites in a mixer to soft peaks. With the mixer running, slowly pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream while continuing to beat until the meringue cools. Transfer to a piping bag with a round tip about 1 cm in diameter.

7. 7

   Pipe the pastry cream into another piping bag and evenly pipe a layer into the bottom of the tins, or spoon it in and smooth with the back of a teaspoon.

8. 8

   Pipe drops of meringue over the entire cream, forming peaks. Briefly torch the meringue with a gas flame or grill for 30 sec‑1 min until golden. Serve immediately.