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Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Make your shortbread base: Combine all ingredients in a food processor on high speed until they come together as a soft dough. Press the dough into a well greased 20cm tin, making sure it is compacted firmly. Prick all over with a fork and place in preheated oven to cook for approx 10-15mins. Shortbread should be slightly golden, but not dark and firm to the touch.

Whilst shortbread is in the oven, make the filling and topping. Separate eggs. To the yolks, add the condensed milk, juice and zest of lemons, and beat till the mixture starts to thicken.

For the meringue, use a hand held mixer to beat the eggs until they start to form soft peaks. Add the sugar a little at a time, beating continuously. When the sugar is completely incorporated you should start to see the mixture thicken considerably. Test to see if a teaspoon will stand upright in the mixture without falling over.

By this time your shortbread should be about ready. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a little bit, meanwhile reducing the temperature on the oven to 140C.

Spoon the filling on top of the shortbread, then spoon (or pipe) meringue on top. Place in the centre of the oven for about an hour, maybe longer. It is ready when the meringue is just turning golden, and is slightly brittle on the outside. It should still be a bit chewy on the inside.

Leave to cool a little before serving with custard, cream or icecream. (or, if you're really serious about these things, try it with all three)

Want to deconstruct it? Make the base as above. Use 6 presentation rings to make individual fillings, and pipe the meringues into miniature swirls using a piping bag. To serve, place a filling on a plate, surround with 3 meringues and crumble the shortbread around. For extra zing, make a lemon syrup to dribble over the pudding. (combine lemon juice, water and sugar in a pan, bring to the boil. Lower to simmering and reduce mixture by half. It should be sticky and gooey). Serve with cream.