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The big ol’ lemon pie that Gloria serves up on the daily has quickly become one of London’s most iconic desserts. It’s quite obvious why: a huge slab of italian meringue sat on zesty lemon custard and a crisp pastry base? Hell, yes. Who doesn’t want that?
Luckily, the Gloria team has kindly unleashed the recipe for the pie. And while it’s definitely not a quick or simple bake, it’s quite clearly worth the work. (And, let’s be honest, what else are you going to do with your Sunday?) So if you’re one of the lucky ones who’ve managed to get your hands on flour, eggs and all the other baking good stuff, try your hand at this big boi this weekend. We’d love to see your finished results. Tweet us your pictures.
The Incredible Lemon Pie
What you need to buy
For the pastry (pie dough)
90g unsalted butter
20g ground almonds
50g icing sugar
2 large eggs
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the lemon custard
1 leaf gelatine
3 unwaxed lemons
3 eggs
70g caster sugar
140g unsalted butter
For the italian meringue
230g caster sugar
2 tablespoons water
juice of 1 lemon
4 egg whites
What you need to do
1. Make the pastry
In a bowl, soften the butter with a spatula. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, ground almonds and icing sugar until smooth. Then add the eggs, one at a time, while beating. Incorporate the flour and salt. Mix the pastry dough until crumbly. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and rest overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Make the lemon custard
Soften the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. Zest two of the lemons and squeeze all three. In a bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Combine the lemon juice, sugar and butter in a pan and bring to the boil. Gradually add the eggs, incorporating them with a whisk. Cook over a low heat until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Squeeze the gelatine and incorporate it. Add the lemon zest. Use an immersion blender to mix well. Put into an airtight container and rest overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Bake the pastry
Preheat the oven to 175C/Gas Mark 4. Roll out the pastry dough into a six-mm disc. Grease a tart pan with butter and line with the pastry. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Make the italian meringue.
In a pan over a low heat, dissolve the sugar into two tablespoons of water and the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and cook until the mixture reads 120C/250F on a cooking thermometer. If you don’t have a cooking thermometer, put a little syrup in a spoon and let one drop fall into a glass of cold water. If it forms a small soft ball, the syrup is ready. In a grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Pour the syrup in a thin stream into the meringue while whisking until the mixture cools.
5. Put it all together
Fill the pastry case with the lemon custard. Use a plastic spatula to cover the tart with meringue, creating a dome in the centre. Caramelise with a chef’s blowtorch. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
This recipe is extracted from ‘Big Mamma Cucina Popolare’, by Big Mamma. Published by Phaidon.
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