Rhubarb meringue pie

Instructions

1. For the pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar together, then mix through the orange zest. Pulse in a food processor with the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs.
2. Mix the egg yolks with the orange juice. Briefly pulse with the flour mixture until it starts to come together. Press until the dough forms, flatten into a disc and wrap in cling film to chill for 30 min.
3. Grease the flan tin generously with butter. Roll the dough out to a circle that’s roughly 5 mm thick and large enough to hang over the edge of the tin. Carefully transfer to the tin and press into the sides. Chill in the fridge for 30 min.
4. Heat the oven to 180°C. Prick the base of the tart with a fork, then line with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake for 15 min then remove the paper and beans. Bake for another 5–10 min until the base is golden. Swiftly roll over the case with a rolling pin to remove the excess pastry from the edge. Leave to cool. You can make this the day before, simply wrap in cling film and set aside.
5. For the rhubarb filling, whisk just enough juice into the cornflour to make a paste. In a pan, add the sugar and the remaining juice, then whisk in the cornflour mixture over a medium heat. Whisk until combined and thick. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and egg yolks, a little at a time, until combined. Finally, whisk in the food colouring. Leave to cool in a bowl covered with cling film and set aside. Store in the fridge if making the day before.
6. For the Italian meringue, put the egg whites in a stand mixer and mix until frothy. In a pan, add the sugar and 50 ml water, and heat until dissolved. If there is sugar on the side, dip a brush in some water and brush down to dissolve. Increase the heat until the sugar syrup reaches 120°C. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour into egg whites. Aim for the edge of the mixture and pour in a steady stream. Once all the syrup has been added, increase the speed of the mixer and whisk until the mixture is cool and has reached stiff peaks.
7. To assemble, spread the rhubarb filling in the pastry case. Top with the meringue and swirl decoratively. Blowtorch the meringue, or pop it under a hot grill for about 30 sec – you may need to turn it for even colour. Remove the pie from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately, but it can stand at room temperature for around 4 hrs.