I recently made this for a friend’s birthday celebration and was reminded how incredibly popular it is. Saying that, it’s very sweet, so a little goes a long way!

In this recipe I’ve given you the option to use just the 2 egg whites, or up to 4 egg whites, depending on how much volume you want. Just adjust the sugar accordingly.

Here’s what goes in:

For the base:

• 1 packet of Tennis biscuits, crushed (200g)
• 125g of butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tins of condensed milk (385g each)
• half a cup of lemon juice
• the rind of 1 lemon, finely grated

For the meringue topping:

• 2 – 4 egg whites
• 300 -350g castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

How to do it

For the base: The easiest way to crush the biscuits is to empty them into a zip seal bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin or another suitably heavy object. Combine the biscuits with the melted butter in a mixing bowl. Press this mixture firmly into a greased pie dish, with a diameter of approximately 28cm. Use the back of a metal spoon to smooth it down and then refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.

For the filling: Separate the eggs and mix the yolks with the condensed milk. Then add the lemon juice, stirring well to combine. Once the mixture has thickened, grate in the lemon rind and pour the mixture over your base. Place the dish back into the fridge while you prepare the meringue.

For the meringue: In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they stiffen and form soft peaks. (Before you start beating your eggs, make sure your bowl and whisks are squeaky clean and dry, otherwise your egg whites will underperform). Slowly add the sugar, a spoon at a time, while continuing to whisk the egg whites. When the mixture is glossy fold in the vinegar and vanilla. Top your pie with the wispy meringue mixture and bake in an oven at 150° for about 25 minutes, until the top is a bit golden.

Cool completely – even refrigerate – before serving