Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie Say it: LEH-mun muh-RANG pye
Lemon meringue pie is a classic American dessert: a blind-baked pastry shell filled with bright, silky lemon curd and crowned with a thick cloud of toasted meringue. It turns up at holidays, church suppers and diners across the country. Its appeal is the contrast between tart, clean citrus, crisp pastry and a sweet, marshmallowy topping. The filling sets firm enough to slice cleanly, and the meringue is baked until its peaks turn golden.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie
Pronounced LEH-mun muh-RANG pye
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Pastry
Lemon filling
Meringue
Method
Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the pieces are the size of small peas, then sprinkle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing, until the dough just holds together when squeezed.
Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it and chill for 30 minutes. Roll it out on a floured surface to a 12-inch (30 cm) round, fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate, trim and crimp the edge, then freeze for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes, lift out the weights and parchment, and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the base looks dry and crisp. Cool on a rack.
For the filling, whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan, then whisk in the water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture thickens and bubbles steadily, 5-7 minutes.
Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl, slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the hot mixture to warm them, then scrape it all back into the pan. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly, until very thick and glossy.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter until smooth. Pour the hot filling into the cooled crust and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Let it cool while you make the meringue, and lower the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy and soft peaks form. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, then beat on high until the meringue is stiff, glossy and holds a sharp peak when the beaters are lifted. Beat in the vanilla.
Spoon the meringue over the filling, spreading it right to the pastry edge to seal it, and swirl the surface into soft peaks with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the peaks are golden brown and the tips are lightly toasted. Cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours before slicing so the filling sets.
Regional variants
Some cooks use a graham cracker crumb crust for a sweeter, crunchier base, or bake the filling and meringue in individual tartlet shells. A little extra zest stirred into the curd gives a more assertive lemon flavor.
Cook's notes
- Let the cornstarch mixture bubble for a full minute before you add the yolks; this cooks out the raw starch taste and gives a clean lemon flavor.
- Spread the meringue while the filling is still warm and press it firmly against the crust edge, which anchors it and helps stop it shrinking or weeping.
- Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between cuts for neat portions.
Serve with
Serve cool or at cool room temperature with strong black coffee or hot tea.
Make ahead and storage
Best the day it is made; keep loosely covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, though the meringue may soften and weep slightly.
