A taste of sunshine

This super easy lemon pie came about when I was craving a key lime pie, but with no limes in the house I made do with the next best thing — lemons. This pie is not as sweet as a cheesecake but not as tart as a lemon meringue pie, it sits somewhere in the middle. This scrumptious dessert only takes 20 minutes to prepare and can be made a day or two ahead, making it perfect for those busy spring evenings.

1 packet (250g) Super Wine biscuits or other plain biscuit

125g butter, melted

1 x 395g can condensed milk

3 medium egg yolks

finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons (or 4 limes)

½ cup cream

1 tsp icing sugar

Extra lemon zest, to decorate

Heat the oven to 160 degrees. Grease or line a cake tin or tart pan with a removable base.

Blend biscuits to crumbs in a food processor (or put in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin). Add in melted butter and mix until combined.

Press the biscuit mixture into the base and up the sides of the tin. Put in the fridge while you make the filling.

Put three egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for a minute with an electric beater.

Add a can of condensed milk and whisk for three minutes, then add the finely grated zest and juice of three lemons and whisk again for three minutes.

Pour the filling into the cooled base then put in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cool at room temperature then chill for at least three hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate.

To decorate, whip together the cream and icing sugar.

Dollop or pipe the cream on to the top of the pie and finish with extra lemon zest.