Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

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Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

* Use fresh eggs to make meringue, and these fresh eggs should be at room temperature. Old eggs simply will not produce the fluffy volume required by meringue.

Author: What's Cooking America

Lemon Meringue Pie:

• Pastryfor 9-inch one crust pie
• 2tablespoonsgraham crackercrumbs (optional)
• 1cupsugar(granulated)
• 1/4cupcornstarch
• 1/8teaspoonsalt
• 1 1/2cupswater
• 5largeeggs(yolks and whites separated into individual bowls), yolks slightly beaten
• 1tablespoonlemon zest,grated
• 1/2cuplemon juice,freshly squeezed (approximately 2 to 3 lemons)
• 2tablespoonsbutter

Meringue Topping:

• 1tablespooncornstarch
• 1/3cupwater
• 5largeeggwhites, room temperature (reserved from pie recipe)*
• 1/2teaspoonpure vanilla extract
• 1/4teaspooncream of tartar
• 1/2cupsugar(granulated)

Step 1: Pre-Bake The Pie Shell:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to center of oven.

2. Prepare pie pastry; dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes before rolling.

3. Sprinkle work area with 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs or some flour. Roll refrigerated pastry with floured rolling pin, sprinkling additional crumbs underneath and on top to heavily coat dough. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than an inverted 9-inch pie pan. Fold pastry into quarter-folds and ease into pan, pressing firmly against bottom and side; flute edges. Prick crust at 1/2-inch intervals before baking. Bake 15 minutes; reduce oven to 350 degrees F. and bake another 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Step 2: Prepare Lemon Curd Filling:

1. 
   In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and water; simmer until translucent and just begins to thicken, approximately one minute. Remove from heat.

2. Slowly and gradually, whisk in egg yolks. Return egg mixture to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute until you see the curd start to boil and rise up and get foamy. Remove from heat and gently stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter until well combined.

3. Pour the prepared lemon curd filling into a baked and cooled pie shell.

4. If you need to let the Lemon Curd Filling sit before using, cover with plastic wrap to keep it hot, as you want to add hot filling to the cooled pie crust.

5. Lemon Curd Tips:

   It's important to start out cooking a curd at a low heat to prevent the eggs from separating from the mixture while cooking.

   In order to get the Lemon curd to set and thicken properly, make sure the lemon curd comes to the beginning stage of boil and foams up. When you see the foam expanding and rising up in the saucepan, remove from the heat right away. You can use a digital thermometer and check that the lemon curd has reached anInternal Temperatureof 170 degrees F.

   To Salvage A Runny Lemon Curd

   Corn starch can be added to a runny lemon curd to help salvage. Take a small scoop of cold lemon curd and add to small bowl and add in some corn starch. Stir together to make a slurry. Pour the lemon curd back into a saucepan and whisk in the corn starch slurry into the lemon curd to combine. Reheat the lemon curd to bring back to a simmer and boil.

   If all hope is lost for thickening, the flavor of the lemon curd is still amazing to use as a ice cream topping or sauce for a cake.

Step 3: Prepare Meringue Topping:

1. Check out my hints and tips on making aPerfect Meringue.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine cornstarch and water; bring to simmer, stirring until mixture thickens and turns translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. In a large bowl of your electric mixer, beat egg whites and vanilla extract until frothy. In a small bowl, combine cream of tartar and sugar; add to egg whites, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form, approximately 2 minutes. Slowly add cornstarch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

4. Spread prepared Meringue Topping overhotpie filling, being careful to spread the meringue to the edges of the pie pasty to prevent shrinkage during baking.

Step 4: Baking Lemon Meringue Pie:

1. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. NOTE: If meringue start to brown too quickly, covering top loosely with foil after the first 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely, approximately 3 hours, on a wire rack before cutting and serving. To cut baked meringue into serving pieces, use a knife dipped in cold water.

2. Makes 8 servings.

3. The pie may be refrigerated up to one day, but this pie is best served the day it is made.