Name: Lemon Meringue Pie
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 100 g Butter; 200 g Plain flour; 50-60 ml Milk; 1 tbsp Caster sugar; 165 ml Lemon juice; 1 Lemon (zest only); 135 g Golden caster sugar ((or regular caster sugar)); 2 Eggs (large); 3 Egg yolks; 115 g Butter; 1 tbsp Cornflour; 30 ml Double cream; 3 Egg whites; 170 g Caster sugar; 95 ml Water; 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

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Lemon Meringue Pie is such a classic bake and it's a great one to have in your repertoire! It combines lots of baking skills so it's great for learning different techniques too. This Lemon Meringue Pie starts with a sweet shortcrust pastry base, it's filled with a thick and super zingy lemon curd, and on top is beautiful pillow soft italian meringue. I much prefer italian meringue on top of a lemon meringue pie, it's got such a fabulous texture plus it's a great excuse to get the kitchen blowtorch out! If you are not confident with pastry then you can of course use shop bought for the base - I won't judge! You could even cheat more by filling it with shop bought lemon curd (please get the best quality one you can find though!) so all that's left to do is make the meringue topping.

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

I used unsalted butter for the pastry, you can also use a baking spread like Stork.
You can use shop bought pastry, or even a pre-baked pie shell, if you need to save time.
If you can't get hold of cream of tartar, you can use 1 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp white vinegar instead.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50).
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Lemon Meringue Pie

To start, make the pastry. Using your fingers, rub butter into a mix of plain flour and caster sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then add milk and bring it together into a dough.

Roll out the pastry on a silicone mat using a rolling pin dusted with a little flour, then line a 9" tart tin tin with the pastry and trimmed the edges. Chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Scrunch up some baking paper and line the pastry, then add baking beans. Bake it for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the lemon filling, melt the butter in a pan on a low heat along with the lemon juice, lemon zest and caster sugar. In a mixing bowl, whisked together the cornflour, eggs and egg yolks. Once the lemon juice and butter mixture is melted together, pour it into the egg mixture, then pour everything back into the pan.

Heat the mixture on a medium heat, and stir it continuously until it thickens. Then sieve it into a jug, whisk in the double cream and pour it into the pastry base.

Then put the tart back in the oven for 8 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, then put it in the fridge.

To make the italian meringue, start with the sugar syrup. Put caster sugar and water in a pan and let it come to the boil. In a stand mixer, whisk up the egg whites and cream of tartar until they reach soft peak stage.

Once it reaches soft ball stage, pour the sugar syrup into a jug, and keeping the mixer running, pour the sugar syrup into the meringue. Keep the food mixer running until the bowl feels cool and the meringue has a fluffy texture and is white and shiny. Then dollop the meringue on top of the pie using a spoon and flick it around to give it texture. Use a kitchen blowtorch to brown the meringue all over.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Can you use shop bought pastry for Lemon Meringue Pie?

Yes! You can either buy a block of shortcrust pastry and roll it out, or a ready rolled out sheet. Then follow the same steps to baking it (a process called blind baking). Or you can even buy a ready baked tart shell, just make sure it is 9" in diameter as that is the tart size this recipe is designed for.

How should you store Lemon Meringue Pie and how long does it last?

The lemon meringue pie is best eaten the day it's made. Or you can make and assemble the pastry and lemon filling, then make the meringue fresh the next day. Store leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2 days. I do not recommend freezing it.

Can you make this recipe with french meringue?

Yes! Instead of using a sugar syrup to cook the egg whites, french meringue is cooked in the oven and has a crispy outer shell and a chewy centre. To do this you will need to whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time while the mixer is still running. Once the sugar is all added, keep whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Dollop it on top of the lemon filling and place in the oven for around 15-20 minutes on 160C Fan.

What if you don't have a blowtorch?

You can still enjoy the meringue without browning it, it's perfectly edible as the hot sugar syrup cooks the egg whites. I don't recommend browning under the grill as it won't brown the meringue evenly.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

Yes! For a gluten free version, use a gluten free flour blend for the pastry, you might also like to add 1 tsp xanthan gum for better texture. Please check the packets of everything you use in case of cross contamination warnings, and especially if you are serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Tips for making the Lemon Meringue Pie:

If you don't have baking beans for the blind baking process, you can use dry rice or any dried beans, then dispose of them afterwards.
If you can't find golden caster sugar for the lemon filling, you can use regular caster sugar.

Troubleshooting

My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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