Lemon Meringue

This recipe was published in Food Connects Us magazine, and I shot it on location at a garden centre where they sold garden buildings. I brought all the props with me, including the table, the candles and foliage, along with the fragile hero of the scene, and arranged my scene in the small building. The shot was supposed to be set in summer, but was in fact photographed in March, so shooting outdoors wasn't really possible as the setting would have been completely out of season, but the brief was a rustic vibe, that was set towards evening when the light would have been warm. The photos were taken in the early afternoon, so I adjusted the light temperature in Lightroom to get a softer, wam effect with the deeper shadows you migh associate with a sinking sun.
The process and ingredient shots were captured in the studio with natural light. 

INGREDIENTS:

PASTRY BASE
110g cold unsalted Butter cubed
225g plain flour
Pinch salt
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp cold water

MERINGUE
6 egg whites 280g caster sugar

LEMON CURD
Zest and juice of 4 large lemons
50ml water
6 tbsp cornflour
6 egg yolks 100g caster sugar
100g unsalted butter

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METHOD
Preheat oven to 190 °C/375 °F/ Gas mark 5.
Grease 23 cm, fluted, loose-bottomed tin and place on baking tray.
To make the pastry, first mix together flour, icing sugar, salt, and then add the cubed butter, rubbing it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center.
Mix the egg with the lemon juice and water and pour into the well gradually, mixing with your fingers until you have a soft (but not wet) dough. Shape into a ball and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

After refridgeration, roll the dough into a circular shape large enough to line the baking tin, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. (If desired, let the pastry exceed the size of tin, and using the baking paper to support, build your pastry higher to create a cradle for the deep meringue toppping, but it's not necessary as a case the height of the standard tin is enough to contain the lemon curd) Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully discard the paper and beans.

To make lemon curd, bring the water and lemon juice to boil in a saucepan. Dissolve the cornflour in a little water and pour the heated lemon juice mixture over it, stirring all the time until all
smooth.
Return to the saucepan and beat in egg yolks, sugar and butter. Place back on the heat, add zest, and whisk until the mixture thickens. Tip into the pastry case and leave to cool.

To make the meringue - heat the oven to 200 °C /400 °F / Gas mark 6. Pour the sugar on to
a baking tray and place in the oven to heat. After 5 minutes, beat the egg whites until stiff. Remove the sugar from oven and set the mixer to the lowest speed. Gently pour sugar into the eggwhite mixture. Once incorporated (no more than 2 minutes), the meringue is done. Spread or pipe onto the lemon curd, shaping as desired and finishing with a cooks blowtorch for colour. It's now ready to serve.