APPLE AND DATE MERINGUE PIE

INGREDIENTS:
cooking oil spray
30g butter
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1+1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
2 tablespoons custard powder
1/3 cup (80 ml) low-fat evaporated milk, approximately

FILLING:
4 large (800g) apples, peeled, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) apple juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon caster sugar
10 (230g) seedless fresh dates, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water

MERINGUE:
3 egg whites
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar

METHOD:
Coat 24cm round loose-base flan tin with cooking oil spray.
Process butter, sugar, flour and custard powder until combined.
Add enough milk to make ingredients just come together.
Knead on floured surface until smooth, wrap in plastic, refrigerate 30 minutes.
Roll dough on floured surface until large enough to line prepared tin.
Lift pastry into tin, ease into side, trim edge.
Cover pastry with baking paper, fill with dried beans or rice, place on oven tray.
Bake in moderately hot oven 10 minutes, remove paper and beans carefully from pastry case, bake further 5 minutes more or until browned, cool.
Spoon filling into pastry case, top with meringue.
Bake in moderate oven about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
FILLING:
Combine apples, juice, cinnamon and sugar in large pan, bring to boil, simmer, uncovered, until apples are just tender.
Add dates, cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Add blended cornflour and water, stir until mixture boils and thickens, cool.

MERINGUE:
Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved between additions.


Serves 8.
Per serve: 3.6g fat.
Calories: 392.
Not suitable if you have diabetes.