Butterscotch Meringue Pie

Beat the butter and confectionerÕs sugar together for the pastry, until light and fluffy in colour and texture. Beat the egg, then add it gradually to the cream mixture, beating well between each addition. Sift the flour and mix it into the other ingredients to form a fairly soft dough. Wrap the pastry in greaseproof paper and leave it in a cool place for about 15 minutes to rest.

Stand the flan ring on a baking tray and grease them both. Roll the pastry into a circle 5cm/2in larger than the flan ring. Fold it in three, then lift it into the flan ring, open it out and ease the pastry over the base and up the sides, pushing it well into the fluted edge. Trim off the excess dough and fill the centre of the flan case with a large piece of foil, crumpling it into the sides, and bake the pastry ÔblindÕ at 180¡C, gas mark 4, 450¡F for 20 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue baking the case for a further 5-10 minutes to brown. Remove the flan ring but leave the case on the baking tray.

Melt the butter and brown sugar together until both are dissolved. Blend the cornflour with a little of the milk to make a smooth paste, then pour the rest of the milk into the butter and soft brown sugar mixture and, when they have combined, pour a little of the liquid onto the cornflour. Blend it in, then pour this back into the main bulk of liquid.

Stirring all the time, bring the sauce to the boil to thicken, then add the egg yolks and cook the filling for a further minute. Pour it into the flan case.

Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and stand in straight peaks, add 2 tablespoons from the granulated sugar and re-whisk the meringue until it regains its original stiffness. Fold in the rest of the sugar lightly and quickly, then spoon it over the flan leaving the surface rough. Bake at 200¡C, gas mark 6, 400¡F for 5-10 minutes until tinged golden brown.