Mini Rhubarb Meringue Pies

Makes 24 in a mini muffin tin or 12 in a regular sized muffin tin.

Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

Begin by mixing 2 Tablespoons of the orange juice with the corn flour until you have a smooth paste, set aside.

Place the remaining orange juice and zest in a saucepan along with the rhubarb, sugar and water. Put the pan on a medium to low heat stirring occasionally.

Whilst the rhubarb is cooking, lightly flour a surface and roll out your pastry dough. Cut the pastry either with a knife or pastry cutter and use it to line the base and sides of your muffin/cupcake pan. Cut squares of foil or baking paper to the same size as the holes in your tin and place them over the pastry. Fill with ceramic beads and blind bake the crust for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, remove the baking paper and beads and set the pastry cases aside, keeping them in the tin.

After about 10-15 minutes, the rhubarb should have begun to break down, we want to get rid of any big lumps. If you are using frozen rhubarb this may take slightly longer. Once it has broken down add the corn flour and orange juice paste whilst whisking the mixture. After that has incorporated add the yolks one at a time also whilst whisking, the mixture should thicken. Take the rhubarb off the heat and set aside.

For the meringue use either a hand whisk or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fitted. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition. After all the sugar is incorporated you should have a fairly solid meringue mixture.

Fill the pastry cases to just below the top of the crust with the rhubarb mixture. Put the meringue in an icing bag with a nozzle fitted on and pipe swirls onto the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the meringue has browned and hardened.