Recipe

Zesty Lemon Meringue pie

All Recipes / Baking / Pie / Dessert

Zesty and power punched with lemon, this uncomplicated lemon meringue pie recipe will be a winner at any dinner party.

The pastry used in this recipe is a short cut version of the French Pâte Brisée (butter pastry) which traditionally rich in butter and made by hand. For this recipe I use a food processor, and use a whole egg with no water. The end result is a very short soft dough, so handle as light as you can and chill well before blind baking (cooking the pastry case first before adding the filling) and make sure that you have NO holes if using a flutted tin with a loose bottom.

If you do not have a food processor, make a traditional rich shortcrust pasty : see Pecan Tart

  • 175g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 75g butter – chilled and cubed
  • 1 egg yolk only
  • 3 tbsp cold water – ice cold

Finally, just a few extra words on the unconventional method for making this pie. Apart from the pre-bake of the pastry case, all the cooking is done in the oven at the final stage. Do not panic if the lemon custard appears very runny and runs over of the pastry case (this can happen when the meringue is added).  Please follow the below advice for success:

  • Place the whole pie on a flat baking tray for baking, lined with baking parchment or tin foil (ease of cleaning).
  • Assemble directly into the pie on the flat baking tray.
  • If leakage or overspill occurs tidy up after baking.
6
1hr
30 mins crust/30 mins pie
pastry: 180ºC / final baking: 130-140ºC

Ingredients

  • Pastry
  • 200g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 whole egg
  • 125g softened butter
  • Filling
  • 1 x 400g can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
    - Approximately 2
  • 2 medium lemons
    - juice and approximately 100 mls
  • 5 egg yolks
  • Meringue
  • 5 egg whites
  • 375g caster sugar

Instructions

  • Make pastry:
  • 01 In a food processor add all ingredients and process until mixture clumps together. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently combine into a soft ball of pastry.
  • 02 Roll out and line a 23 cm flan tin.
  • 03 Chill for 30 minutes. Line pastry case with baking paper and dried beans and bake ‘blind’ in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes. The crust should be pale golden and crisp. Remove paper and beans and allow cooling. If the base is too soft return to the oven for further cooking.
  • Prepare filling:
  • 04 Mix all ingredients together and pour into the cooled, cooked pastry shell. Do not worry if the lemon custard is runny.
  • Prepare meringue:
  • 05 Beat egg whites with small pinch of salt and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in all the caster sugar one tbsp at a time. Mixture should be glossy and firm.
  • 06 With a large spoon gently place the meringue all over top of pie. Bake in a low oven for 30-40 minutes until meringue firm and crisp. Allow to cool in the tin.
  • 07 Serve cold with a dusting of icing sugar and lashings of whipped cream.

Notes

Use tin foil to cover pastry when baking ‘blind’ (see image 3) – much easier to mould over the sides of the flan tin than baking paper and try not to spread the meringue mixture to close to the edge of the flan before final baking, as the meringue will ‘grow’ during cooking and naturally fill the gap. Baking time for the final pie is approximate - if you like a meringue with a soft centre 30 minutes is about right, however, if you like a drier, more crisp meringue bake slowly for another 30 minutes or so, or until the meringue sounds hollow to the touch/or when tapped with a light finger.

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