Annie Bell's Pineapple Meringue Pie

Try this dessert for a delicious tropical taste

1. 1

   Have ready a 23cm loose-bottom tart tin about 5cm deep.

2. 2

   To make the pastry, place the flour, cocoa, sugar and butter in the bowl of a food processor and give it a quick burst at high speed to reduce it to a crumb-like consistency.

3. 3

   Separate the egg and reserve the white for the meringue topping.

4. 4

   Add the yolk to the food processor and with the motor running trickle in just enough milk for the dough to cling together into lumps.

5. 5

   Transfer the pastry to a large bowl and bring it together into a ball using your hands.

6. 6

   Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

7. 7

   Preheat the oven to 190C/170 C fan/gas 5.

8. 8

   Lightly flour a worksurface and thinly roll out the pastry (you can roll it twice if it seems delicate).

9. 9

   Line the tart tin with the pastry, pressing it in gently as necessary.

10. 10

    Line the pastry with foil and baking beans, securing the sides to the tin.

11. 11

    Bake for 15 minutes then remove the foil and beans and bake for 10 minutes more.

12. 12

    Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

13. 13

    In the meantime make the filling.

14. 14

    Peel and core the pineapple as necessary (or use 400g-500g prepared flesh).

15. 15

    Puree the pineapple in a blender and press through a sieve.

16. 16

    This should leave you with about 300 ml of frothy juice, discard any more than this or make it up with water if it falls short.

17. 17

    Blend the cornflour with about a third of the juice in a bowl.

18. 18

    Bring the remaining juice to the boil in a small saucepan with 50 g of the sugar, stirring until it dissolves.

19. 19

    Add the cornflour solution and cook stirring constantly until the mixture is thick, transparent and silky.

20. 20

    Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.

21. 21

    Separate the eggs and reserve the whites for the meringue topping.

22. 22

    Stir two egg yolks into the pineapple mixture, followed by a squeeze of lemon (save the extra yolk for another use).

23. 23

    Smooth the pineapple filling into the pastry base, and chill for an hour until it firms up (this is to prevent the meringue from sinking in).

24. 24

    Reheat the oven to 190C/170 C fan/gas 5.

25. 25

    Whisk the 4 egg whites (including the white left over from the pastry) in a large bowl until risen using a hand-held electric whisk, then whisk in the remaining sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking well with each addition.

26. 26

    Sift two thirds of the cocoa over the meringue and fold it over a couple of times to streak it.

27. 27

    Spoon the meringue evenly over the surface of the pineapple filling curd, taking it up to the crust, and swirling the surface, then dust with a little more cocoa.

28. 28

    Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes or until the surface of the meringue is lightly golden and crusty.

29. 29

    Leave to cool, then remove the collar.

30. 30

    Chill if not eating straightaway but eat the day it is made. The filling is quite delicate and may ooze if kept longer.