Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon pie made from real lemons takes time, but the reward is a luscious dessert bursting with flavour. The meringue becomes extra smooth because the sugar is warmed and dissolved before the egg whites are added. Take your time to get this right and listen to the coos of contentment from your diners.
This version of a timeless classic comes from Bon Appetit. The adapted recipe below produces only one pie crust, while the original makes enough for two, suggesting one be frozen for later use. Note: If you prefer, line the pie plate with a graham wafer crust instead of pie dough.
Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Serves 8
Ingredients for Crust
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoons crystal salt or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup (6 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
Ingredients for Filling
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
Zest of 4 lemons
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons. chilled unsalted butter
Assembly
4 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Method for Crust
Whisk the sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups of flour in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingers, smash each piece into a thin disk. Take your time doing this and don’t feel compelled to break the butter into even smaller pieces. Drizzle 2/3 cup of ice water over, dispersing it as widely as possible, and mix with a rubber spatula to bring mixture together into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a surface and work together with your hands, pushing and flattening until the dough holds together when squeezed in your palm, but some streaks of dry flour are still visible.
Flatten the dough into an 8" diameter disk. Cut into quarters, stack the pieces on top of one another, and flatten the dough with a rolling pin to about half of its original height. At this point the dough should hold together with no dry spots remaining and have nice big flakes of butter showing. Use a bench scraper or a large knife to clean any clingy bits of dough from surface.
Dust the surface with flour, then dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll it out to a 1/4-3/8"-thick round. Wrap the dough around a rolling pin and transfer it to a standard 9"-diameter pie dish. Unfurl the dough into the dish, then lift the edges and allow the dough to slump down into dish. Trim the overhang to an even 1" (there will be some excess). Fold the overhang under and crimp as desired. Cover and chill until very cold, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours (cover tightly if chilling longer than 1 hour).
Place a rack in middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 400°. Lay 2 sheets of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans (they should fill the dish). Set the pie plate on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (this will keep any butter drips from smoking up your oven).
Bake until the edges are golden brown and the bottom is opaque (carefully lift parchment to check), 30–35 minutes. Remove the pie plate from the oven; reduce oven temperature to 300°. Lift out the parchment paper and weights. Bake the crust until evenly chestnut brown all over, 10–15 minutes.
Method for Filling
Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan to combine. Add the eggs and egg yolks and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into the corners of the pan, until smooth and pale. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often and making sure to get into the corners of the pan, 8–10 minutes (the mixture should be bubbling and thickened). Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, whisking every minute.
Add the butter to the filling and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Scrape the filling into pie crust. It should have a smooth surface. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Assembly
Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large heatproof bowl; set over a large saucepan filled with 1" simmering water (the bowl shouldn’t touch the water). Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 4 minutes.
Fit the bowl onto mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or use an electric mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until the meringue is more than tripled in volume and medium peaks form, about 4 minutes. Spoon the meringue onto the lemon custard or transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a resealable plastic bag will work—just snip off a corner after bag is filled). Pipe the meringue over filling and toast with a kitchen torch or under the broiler.
The pie will keep, refrigerated, for 2-3 days.
Lemon pie made from real lemons takes time, but the reward is a luscious dessert bursting with flavour. The meringue becomes extra smooth because the sugar is warmed and dissolved before the egg whites are added. Take your time to get this right and listen to the coos of contentment from your diners.
This version of a timeless classic comes from Bon Appetit. The adapted recipe below produces only one pie crust, while the original makes enough for two, suggesting one be frozen for later use. Note: If you prefer, line the pie plate with a graham wafer crust instead of pie dough.
Click here for more fabulous desserts.
Serves 8
Ingredients for Crust
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoons crystal salt or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3/4 cup (6 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
Ingredients for Filling
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
Zest of 4 lemons
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons. chilled unsalted butter
Assembly
4 large egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Method for Crust
Whisk the sugar, salt, and 1 1/3 cups of flour in a large bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingers, smash each piece into a thin disk. Take your time doing this and don’t feel compelled to break the butter into even smaller pieces. Drizzle 2/3 cup of ice water over, dispersing it as widely as possible, and mix with a rubber spatula to bring mixture together into a shaggy mass.
Turn the dough out onto a surface and work together with your hands, pushing and flattening until the dough holds together when squeezed in your palm, but some streaks of dry flour are still visible.
Flatten the dough into an 8" diameter disk. Cut into quarters, stack the pieces on top of one another, and flatten the dough with a rolling pin to about half of its original height. At this point the dough should hold together with no dry spots remaining and have nice big flakes of butter showing. Use a bench scraper or a large knife to clean any clingy bits of dough from surface.
Dust the surface with flour, then dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll it out to a 1/4-3/8"-thick round. Wrap the dough around a rolling pin and transfer it to a standard 9"-diameter pie dish. Unfurl the dough into the dish, then lift the edges and allow the dough to slump down into dish. Trim the overhang to an even 1" (there will be some excess). Fold the overhang under and crimp as desired. Cover and chill until very cold, at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours (cover tightly if chilling longer than 1 hour).
Place a rack in middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 400°. Lay 2 sheets of parchment paper over the dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans (they should fill the dish). Set the pie plate on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (this will keep any butter drips from smoking up your oven).
Bake until the edges are golden brown and the bottom is opaque (carefully lift parchment to check), 30–35 minutes. Remove the pie plate from the oven; reduce oven temperature to 300°. Lift out the parchment paper and weights. Bake the crust until evenly chestnut brown all over, 10–15 minutes.
Method for Filling
Whisk the sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan to combine. Add the eggs and egg yolks and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into the corners of the pan, until smooth and pale. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often and making sure to get into the corners of the pan, 8–10 minutes (the mixture should be bubbling and thickened). Reduce the heat and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, whisking every minute.
Add the butter to the filling and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Scrape the filling into pie crust. It should have a smooth surface. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
Assembly
Combine the egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large heatproof bowl; set over a large saucepan filled with 1" simmering water (the bowl shouldn’t touch the water). Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch, about 4 minutes.
Fit the bowl onto mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or use an electric mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until the meringue is more than tripled in volume and medium peaks form, about 4 minutes. Spoon the meringue onto the lemon custard or transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a resealable plastic bag will work—just snip off a corner after bag is filled). Pipe the meringue over filling and toast with a kitchen torch or under the broiler.
The pie will keep, refrigerated, for 2-3 days.