Recipe VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | Images ASHLEE DECAIRES
As a kid my grandfather would sprinkle cornflakes on top of our ice cream to give it a bit of crunch. And now, as an adult, I always have a packet on hand but admit it’s never for breakfast. Instead, these versatile crunchy morsels find themselves in my famous Afghans, and scrunched up to form crumbles, tart bases and even a savoury crumb.
Pastry
1⅓ cups flour
2½ cups cornflakes
½ cup icing sugar
125g butter, melted
Filling
4 egg yolks
1x 395g can sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup lemon juice
½ cup cream
Meringue
½ quantity of Italian Meringue recipe Lemon Meringue Cake
Make the pastry by placing the flour, cornflakes and icing sugar in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Add butter, and whiz until well combined.
Press into a lined 35cm by 12cm oblong (or alternatively a 25cm round) tin then chill for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cover the chilled pastry with baking paper and pastry weights (or dry chickpeas/beans or rice) and bake blind for 25 minutes, then remove weights and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and reduce temperature to 150°C.
To make filling, whisk yolks, condensed milk, lemon juice and cream in a bowl to combine. Pour into base. Bake for 45 minutes or until pastry starts to come away from filling and there is a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool to room temperature. Chill until completely firm.
Make the Italian meringue and pipe/spread this over the top of the tart. Use a blowtorch (or place under a preheated oven grill for 5 minutes) to caramelise edges.
Serve and enjoy!
Cheats Deconstructed Lemon Meringue
I was always told cheats never prosper but in this case they can definitely enjoy a delicious dessert.
Grab a packet of Amaretti biscuits from Vetro and crush a few.
Use a jar of bought lemon curd (I used one from Hamilton Gardens) to smear on the plate or add some artistic dollops.
Then for the meringue some beautiful baby store bought ones are perfect, or if you are like me and have some in the pantry from last time you had leftover egg whites, now is the time to pull them out!
Add a scoop of berry ice cream and some edible flowers and you have an easy but spectacular deconstructed lemon meringue dessert.