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1
For the pastry:
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2
Grease and dust a pie tin with flour and set aside. Preheat oven to 180u00b0C (355u00b0F).
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3
Combine self-raising flour, sugar and butter in a food processor and blitz until mixture resembles a crumble. Add egg and water to the food processor and blitz until pastry forms a ball.
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4
Remove pastry from food processor, press into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
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5
For the filling:
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6
Meanwhile, separate eggs. Set egg whites in the fridge and place yolks into a medium saucepan. Add lemon zest and juice of 3 lemons, cornflour, sugar and water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
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7
Retrieve pastry from fridge. Lightly flour benchtop, and using a rolling pin (or in my case, a wine bottle), roll pastry out thin, around 2mm to 3mm thick.
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8
Carefully drape pastry over pie tin, press it into the base and using a sharp knife, cut off any excess pastry overhanging the tin. Randomly pierce the pastry in the base of the tin with a fork 10-12 times. Cover with baking paper, fill pie tin with pie weights, uncooked rice or dried beans, and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
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9
Remove crust from the oven, remove pie weights and set aside. Drop oven temperature down to 170u00b0C (340u00b0F).
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10
Place medium saucepan with filling mixture over a medium heat and whisk until thickened. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then pour into pie base and return to the oven for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
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11
Reduce oven temperature (or pre-heat if baking meringue on another day) to 120u00b0C (250u00b0F). Line a baking tray with baking paper and sift a generous layer of cornflour atop it.
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12
For the pavlova:
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13
Place egg whites into a large mixing bowl and using electric beaters, beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and cornflour. Continue to beat on high until mixture is smooth, glossy and holds semi-stiff peaks.
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14
Scrape meringue mixture onto prepared baking tray, allow it to natural form a circular shape by pouring the mixture into a central position and letting it spread outwards. Place meringue in the oven to bake for 1 1/2 hours.
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15
Remove meringue from oven and allow to cool slightly. Gently crack open pavlova and separate the crunchy crust from the gooey middle.
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16
Scrape the gooey middle onto the top of your lemon tart, and arrange the pieces of crust on top.
