One of the contestants in this year’s season of The Great British Baking Show is a left below-knee amputee named Marc Elliott. We’re tracking his progress through the season, while sharing favorite recipes from limb-different bakers in the Amplitude community. In Episode 1 (Cakes), Marc survived despite a lackluster effort on the Technical Challenge (pineapple upside-down cakes) and a near meltdown in the Showstopper, where his cake-bust of David Bowie (as Ziggy Stardust) ended up like this:
Fortunately Marc got the flavors right, narrowly averting an early exit from the show. Episode 2 (Biscuits) lies ahead.
This Week’s Recipe: Lemon Meringue Pie (vegan + gluten-free)
This week’s recipe comes from Alexis Hillyard, host of the ever-popular Stump Kitchen channel on YouTube. It’s been a busy year for Hillyard, who appeared on Amplitude‘s website in January, became Lucky Fin’s first Canadian ambassador, posed in an inclusive fashion shoot while nine weeks pregnant, was featured on the cover of The Vegan magazine, and gave birth to her first child shortly after baking a cake while in labor. Oh yeah, she’ll also be appearing on Canada’s #1 cooking show, Wall of Chefs, beginning next month.
This recipe was featured at Stump Kitchen about 10 months ago (featuring guest star Footless Jo). Meringue and filling are based on a recipe from the Pancake Princess; gluten-free crust comes from Allergy Free Alaska.
Ingredients
MERINGUE:
3/4 cup chickpea brine (from one 15-oz. can of chickpeas)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
FILLING:
14 oz silken tofu
3/4 cup lemon juice (or juice of 4 large lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp almond milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
CRUST:
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup arrowroot (or tapioca) starch
1/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup cold palm shortening or vegan butter
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3-5 tbsp cold water
Instructions
1) MERINGUE: Boil chickpea brine over medium-high heat, then simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes (should be reduced to a little under 1/2 cup after simmering). Refrigerate while making crust and filling.
2) CRUST: Whisk sorghum, millet, and brown rice flour with xanthan gum, sea salt, and arrowroot starch. Cut in palm shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in apple cider vinegar and water, adding just enough water to achieve soft, pliable, dough-like texture. Form dough into a ball, then roll to about 11-inch round. Trim and place into pie plate.
3) FILLING: Blend all ingredients, then pour into crust after crust has cooled for about 10 minutes (until it’s barely warm). Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until filling is set, but still slightly jiggly. Let cool while making the meringue.
4) MERINGUE: Remove cold, reduced brine from refrigerator and whip in a clean bowl with clean beaters with the cream of tartar and vanilla until mixture turns foamy, and then begins to form soft peaks. Then add sugar slowly, a quarter cup at a time. Continue to whip the mixture until it reaches stiff peaks.
5) ASSEMBLE: Cover the top of the cooled pie with the meringue. Preheat the broiler to 575 and broil for 1-2 minutes, keeping an eye on the pie the entire time–it can burn in a second!