Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie
Surely one of the most delicious and iconic desserts (I mean, anything that involves a blowtorch in the kitchen has me onboard), it is a favourite of mine and I have spent YEARS perfecting my Lemon Meringue Pie recipe. Tried and tested and tasted again and again (poor me, right?) this recipe bakes up perfectly every time.
Few desserts make me happier than a big slice of Lemon Meringue Pie. Perhaps it is the big kid in me, but if I see this pie in a restaurant cake cabinet, with its cheery yellow curd and clouds of billowy meringue, I can never resist.
It is such a classic recipe and there are endless variations and methods of making it, but for me, it has to be a deep pie with a perfectly balanced curd and a mound of lightly toasted Italian meringue on top. I’m getting hungry just thinking of it!
Despite its fame, or perhaps because of it, lemon meringue pie can be hit and miss. We’ve all taken a bite of a mouth-puckeringly sour pie, or worse still, one with a dry, powdery layer of meringue on top. I’ve spent ages perfecting my recipe to create the ideal balance of sweet and sour for you to create at home.
There are three different steps in this recipe, making the pastry case, making the curd and making the meringue. It may seem like a lot of work, but once you have these techniques down, you’ll be able to whip up a perfect pie in no time. You can always cheat a little by using store-bought pastry, or a store-bought pastry case, though it is simple enough to make your own if you follow the recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I have to make my own pastry for Lemon Meringue Pie?
Not at all. A good quality store-bought pastry will do, though if you have time, try your hand at making your own, it is a great kitchen skill to have.
How long will Lemon Meringue Pie keep?
Lemon Meringue Pie is always best when it is eaten within a day or two of baking. Eventually the meringue and pastry can get a bit soggy.
Can I make this recipe in a different-sized tin?
Sure! You’ll need to scale it up or down to suit. This recipe makes enough to fit a deep-sided 2 litre (2-quart) capacity tin.
It is easy and fun to make your own pastry, but if you are in a hurry, good quality store-bought sweet pastry will do.
Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie
Surely one of the most delicious and iconic desserts (I mean, anything that involves a blowtorch in the kitchen has me onboard), Lemon Meringue Pie is a favourite of mine and I have spent YEARS perfecting my recipe. Tried and tested and tasted again and again (poor me, right?) this recipe bakes up perfectly every time.
Ingredients
for the pastry:
- 250 g plain flour
- 120 g unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 Tbsp cold water
for the filling:
- 5 egg yolks
- 250 g sugar
- 60 g corn starch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 300 ml cold water
- 175 ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- 60 g unsalted butter
for the Italian meringue:
- 225 g sugar
- 80 ml water
- 4 egg whites
- ½ tsp cream of tartar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the pastry, combine the flour, butter sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor with the blade attachment fitted. Process until the mixture resembles crumbs. Add the egg and the water and run the processor until the mixture forms a dough and clumps together. Turn out onto the benchtop and knead briefly to form a dough.
- Grease a large, deep-sided tart tin, then dust the benchtop with flour. Roll the dough out to a circle larger than the tin, dusting the dough with flour and turning as you go so that it doesn’t stick. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and transfer to the prepared tin.
- Gently press the dough into the tin, avoiding stretching it as this can make it shrink later. Trim off any overhang and wrap in clingfilm. Prick the pastry all over with a form and transfer to the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 and place a baking tray in the middle of the oven. When the tart has chilled, remove from the refrigerator, scrunch up a large piece of baking paper and use it to line the pastry. Top the baking paper with a large sheet of tin foil, pressing against the side and into all the crevices. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the tinfoil and baking paper and bake for another 20 minutes. If the base starts puffing up, use a fork to gently poke a few air holes into it.
- When the base has cooked, remove from the oven and set aside to cool. If there are any rips or tears, gently patch them up with the reserved pastry dough while the tart case is hot.
- To make the filling, whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add water, lemon juice and zest and whisk until smooth. Place over medium heat and whisk until the mixture is very thick, this will take 5-7 minutes.
- Pour a little of the hot mixture onto the eggs, whisking well. Add the egg mixture back to the saucepan, whisking to combine, then continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously until the mixture has thickened and is well combined. Remove from the heat and stir through the butter until melted. Pour into the cooked pie crust, smooth the top and set aside.
- To make Italian meringue, stir together sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until the mixture reads 116°C/ 240°F on a candy or sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites to firm peaks in a stand mixer. When the sugar syrup is hot, gradually pour it into the beaten egg whites, whisking all the time.
- Add the cream of tartar or lemon juice and vanilla extract and whisk for around 5 minutes on high until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
- Spread or pipe the meringue on top of the lemon filling, using a spatula or a spoon to shape the meringue. Either use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue or place it under a hot oven grill/broiler for 2-3 minutes until browned.
- Chill the Lemon Meringue Pie for at least 3 hours before cutting to ensure it is set.
Notes
To make Italian meringue you will need to measure the temperature of the sugar syrup as it needs to reach the ‘soft ball’ stage of around 116°C / 240°F. The old fashioned way of testing this is to drop a small amount of the syrup into very cold water, it should form a ball that does not hold in shape when gently pressed.
If the Italian Meringue seems like a bit too much of a fuss for you, you can simply beat the egg whites until firm, then add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is all used up. You’ll need to bake the meringue topped pie for 20 minutes or so in the oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 until the topping is crisp and lightly browned.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 155mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Hi, Jay
About how many lemons to get the 175mls of juice?
Thanks,
Leslie
Hi Leslie! It depends a bit on how juicy the lemons are, but a good rule of thumb is that in season lemons have around 45-50Ml of juice in them so I would get 4-6 to be on the safe side 🍋 😀
Hi, first time I made this my meringue weeped really badly, I’m just wondering if this is because I didn’t heat the sugar up enough or if it’s because of something else I did? Also is it better to leave the pie at room temperature after it is assembled or should I refrigerate it?
Hi Chantal! Oh no, the dreaded weeping meringue! This has affected all bakers at least once and it is always frustrating! There are lots of things that can cause it, as a soft meringue like this isn’t super stable. First, if it is a humid day, meringue is more likely to weep. Storing too long in the fridge will definitely cause weeping due to condensation. Undissolved sugar can be the culprit, but unlikely in this instance as you are using a cooked meringue. Cream of tartar usually helps to stabilise the meringue, but you can also add a cooked cornstarch gel to stabilise it even further (I will update the notes of the recipe with specifics). Finally, over-broiling or over heating the meringue can also cause it to weep. Phew! I personally chill my lemon meringue pie for stability and easy slicing, but I only add the meringue on the day that I am serving it, as above, it will eventually weep in the refrigerator no matter what you do. I hope that it was still tasty! J.