How to make a Berry Meringue Pie

I used Blackberries that I had picked for this, but the recipe can be applied for any berry. 

I ate too much of this as my family did not like it and got indigestion and had dreams about eating things that did not taste very nice so I would not recommend eating a large portion of this in one go as it is quite rich. 

Ingredients:

•  400g Blackberries (Or any berries)
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 50g Caster Sugar (Extra can be added depending on sharpness)
• 3 tsp Cornflour
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice (Can be from a fresh lemon)
• 1 tsp Water
• 30g Butter Margarine
• Shortcrust Pastry 

Meringue Topping:

• 2 Egg Whites
• 140g Caster Sugar

1.) Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/ 190°C. Roll out the shortcrust pastry to a thickness of 5cm and line a fluted flan dish with the pastry. 

2.) Cover the pastry with greaseproof paper and weigh down the paper with baking beans or a suitable substitute (I used pasta). Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and paper and cook for another 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

 3.) To make the filling crush the blackberries into a puree using a blender and pass through a sieve to remove the seeds.

4.) Mix the cornflour with 50g of Caster Sugar and add the lemon juice and water, stirring until it forms a paste. 

 5.) Pour the paste, butter, egg yolks and blackberry puree into a saucepan and cook on a medium heat until it starts to boil. Taste the mixture and add the extra sugar if it tastes too sharp.

6.) Leave the filling to cool for around 10 minutes before pouring into the pastry case. Use a palette knife to make the surface as smooth as possible. Leave to cool for a further 30 minutes and use the time to make the meringue topping.

7.) Whisk the egg white in a bowl until the mixture forms soft peaks.

8.) Gradually add the caster sugar and mix until the mixture becomes soft and glossy and able to hold peaks fully.

9.) Spoon the meringue on top of the filling and swirl to form peaks. Bake in the oven at Gas Mark 4/180°C or until the meringue is a light golden brown.