Easy Lemon Meringue Pie

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slice of lemon meringue pie on a plate
Slice Of Lemon Meringue Pie

Inspiration To Make A Lemon Meringue Pie

Recently, whilst on holiday, I tried a Lemon Meringue Pie in a cafe that looked totally delicious but was really quite a disappointment, especially when it was a National Trust cafe! It ‘flattered to deceive’ might have been an apt description.

I had not made a Lemon Meringue myself for some years, but resolved at that moment to change that and get busy working out how to make the best pie I could. I wanted it to be really ‘lemony’ and not too sweet – and of course it has to be quite easy to make.

Lemon Meringue Pie is easy if you make it one step at a time – Looks great and so delicious, it is bound to impress your friends and family!

Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Research

I studied a few recipes, and as I often find, some recipes were just too fussy. Others clearly did not have enough lemons in it! So the recipe below was a combination of other recipes. It took two attempts to really perfect it, but I certainly enjoyed trying, testing the results.

Clearly there are three parts to making a Lemon Meringue Pie. The first is the pastry and you can find more on pastry making in How To Make Pastry. I used white flour for the pastry and I did bake it ‘blind’ before putting the filling in.

The second is the filling. Gentle heating and constant stirring are the key words here. I used three lemons, some recipes only use two, but I love the really lemony and slightly tart flavour, that contrasts so well with the sugary meringue.

Eggs For Separating

The final stage is the meringue. Go with your instincts and enjoy making this fluffy, sweet, sticky mixture.

Key Hints for Great Meringue:-

  • Do not get any yolk, not one drop, in the white when separating.
  • Separate each egg individually in a bowl the pour the white in with the others. That way if you do get yolk in, you only risk wasting one egg. (Of course you won’t waste it – use it in a cake or have scrambled eggs!)
  • Fridge cold eggs separate more easily than room temperature ones
  • Use a glass or metal bowl for beating and make sure it is completely dry and clean
  • Beat the eggs whites thoroughly before adding the sugar
  • Add the sugar a little at a time and ensure it is dissolved into the white

    • Don’t be put off by the apparently long instructions – it really is quite easy. Just take it step by step and you will soon have produced a wonderful dessert!

    Easy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe


    Ingredients

      For the Pastry

    • 110g / 4oz plain flour
    • 50g / 2oz butter or margarine
    • 2 tablespoons cold water
    • For the filling
    • 3 lemons
    • 3 tablespoons cornflour
    • 50g / 2oz caster sugar
    • 150ml / 5fl oz water
    • 3 large eggs yolks
    • 40g / 1 1/2oz butter
    • 3 large eggs Whites
    • 175g / 6oz caster sugar

    Cooking Directions

      Make the pastry

    1. In a bowl rub the butter into the flour, working lightly with your finger tips
    2. Add the water, a little at a time and stir
    3. Gently start bringing the mixture together to form a dough
    4. Add a little more water if required
    5. Form the dough into a ball
    6. Place in a bag in the fridge to ‘rest’ for about 30 minutes
    7. Meanwhile – grate the zest from the lemons
    8. Cut the lemons in half and extract the juice into a separate bowl
    9. Separate the eggs, putting the white in a large bowl

      10. Blind Bake the Pastry

    10. Grease a 20cm / 7in cake tin
    11. Roll out the pastry and line the tin
    12. Prick the base with a fork
    13. Bake in the oven at 190 degrees C for 25 minutes
    14. Reduce oven heat to 150 degrees C when pastry is done

      15. Make the Filling

    15. Put the sugar and cornflour into a bowl
    16. Pour in enough of the water to make a paste
    17. Put the water and lemon zest into a saucepan and bring to the boil
    18. Pour the water and lemon onto the cornflour and sugar paste, stirring continually
    19. Pour this mixture into the pan and bring gently back to boil, stirring continuously
    20. Remove pan from heat and whisk in lemon juice, egg yolks and butter
    21. Return to the heat and gently simmer, stirring all the time, until mixture thickens
    22. Pour the mixture into the pastry case
    23. Allow to cool
    24. Make the Meringue
    25. With a hand whisk or electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until the form stiff peaks
    26. Add the sugar, a bit a time and continue whisking
    27. When all the sugar is whisked in, spoon on top of the cool lemon filling
    28. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes

    If eating warm, allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving

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