Mini Meringue Pumpkin Pies


Dish type: Dessert

Serves: 6
Cooking and preparation time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

For the filling:
450g pumpkin flesh, cut into 2cm cubes
2 eggs plus 1 yolk
70g muscavado sugar
1 cinnamon quill
3 whole cloves
275ml double cream

For the pastry:
250g plain flour
125g butter
35ml cold water
1 egg
A pinch of salt

For the meringue:
4 egg whites
225g caster sugar
A dash of red food colouring

1. Place the pumpkin flesh onto a tray and cover with baking foil. Bake until soft and mash.
2. Meanwhile, create your pastry base. Place the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in butter. Then pour in the water and egg and bring together but do not overwork.
3. When combined, wrap in greaseproof paper and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. After waiting, roll out the pastry and carefully line small tartlet cases and chill again until hard.
4. Preheat the oven to 190c and blind bake for 15 minutes before removing the baking beans and paper and returning to the oven for a following 5 minutes.
5. For the filling pour the double cream into a pan with the sugar and spices. Heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved and bring to boil. Then turn off the heat immediately and remove spices.
6. Whisk the eggs and yolk into a bowl and pour the cream mixture and pumpkin pieces in and whisk again until combined. Pour into the cooled pastry cases and bake for 20 minutes until the filling is set and then cool completely.
7. For the meringue add a tablespoon of sugar for each egg white and whisk until each addition is stiff. Add the remaining sugar and whisk in until the meringue mix turns shiny and glossy before gently folding in some red food colouring to add a marbled effect.
8. Pipe the meringue mixture onto the tartlets and bake for 35 minutes until the meringues are set.