Lemon Meringue Pie

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Sweet, citrus-y, and tangy Lemon Meringue Pie! The classic pie that everyone knows and loves…now made easily at home, but even more delicious than any bakery. Creamy, sweet, tart, and SO. GOOD. The filling is made with a handful of ingredients and plenty of fresh lemon juice to really make this pie POP! Especially alongside the buttery, flakey and delicious homemade pie crust. Oh, and we can’t forget the delicious 3 ingredient Italian meringue that really sets this pie apart from any other citrus dessert. Simply irresistible! Once you put everything together, you will have the best Lemon Meringue Pie that will have everyone asking for more. Be sure to serve this pie all year long, but especially during the holiday’s for a truly crowd pleasing dessert!

About The Recipe

With the first week of March behind us, we are inching closer to Spring (which hopefully means warmer weather soon!), and it’s time for lots of bright flavors and delicious recipes. We thought it would be fun to start this week with a very Spring, but still technically winter type of recipe… Lemon Pie!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this recipe. Seriously. As a lover of all things chocolate, this recipe might just change my mind! Though, my brother, Ian, hasn’t really left enough of this pie for me (or my mom!) to really eat. He LOVES all things lemon, but this pie..? It pretty much takes the cake.

There’s something about the combination of flakey pie crust, smooth lemon custard, and lightly torched meringue that just sets this pie apart from everything else!

Though, the best part about this pie? It’s genuinely not that too difficult to make! We are using our no-fail custard recipe, as well as a super simple pie crust, and a delicious italian meringue that not only works every time, but tastes SO. DELICIOUS.

So, if you’re looking for the perfect pie to bake this March, are planning summer desserts, or even thinking about what to make next Thanksgiving/Christmas, this pie NEEDS to be on your need-to-bake list!

Why You Will Love This Lemon Meringue Pie

• This recipe is pretty much never-fail!
• Uses simple ingredients.
• Doesn’t need to be refrigerated to set.
• Doesn’t require baking.
• Meringue sets up perfectly every time.
• No more worrying about the meringue weeping.
• Tastes absolutely delicious!

Equipment Needed

• Mixing Bowls
• 2 Quart Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Sieve
• Stand Mixer
• Candy Thermometer
• Rubber Spatulas
• Pastry Brush
• Blow Torch

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

For The Pie:

• Pre-Baked Pie Crust
• Lemon Juice
• Granulated Sugar
• Water
• Egg Yolks
• Cornstarch
• Salted Butter
• Lemon Zest

For The Meringue:

• Egg Whites
• Granulated Sugar
• Water

How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie

Step 1: Make the lemon curd

Mix together the egg yolks and corn starch. The mixture is very thick!

In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, water, and lemon juice until hot but not boiling.

Pour small amounts of the hot sugar mixture into egg yolk mixture and stir until completely combined. Repeat until about half of the sugar mixture is used.

Pour the egg mixture into the pot and mix well. Heat, while stirring, over low to medium-low heat, until thickened, translucent, and holding its shape, about 10 minutes.

Strain the custard through a fine-meshed sieve into a clean mixing bowl.

Stir in the butter and lemon zest.

Pour into pie crust and set aside.

Step 2: Make the meringue

In a clean bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites to medium peaks.

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar melts. Once melted, stop stirring and brush down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in water. Leave mixture alone until it reaches 246-250 degrees. With mixer running, pour hot sugar mixture slowly into beaten egg whites. Beat until the mixture is cooled.

Step 3: Finish the pie

Spoon meringue over pie and spread evenly.

Toast meringue using blow torch.

Choosing The Right Lemon & How To Get The Most Juice From It

It may sound a little odd, but I promise there is actually a trick to this!

• First things first, when you’re at the store, don’t go for the larger lemons. I know it’s tempting, but generally… that size yields in quite a bit of rind. Not juice.
• Pick them up! Use that scale you see by the other fruits. See what’s heavier. The heavier the lemon, the more more juice it’ll have.
• Squeeze it gently. A thinner rind will have some give to it, whereas a thicker rind will be about as hard as a rock.

So, now that you have the perfect lemons, what’s the best way to get the most amount of juice? Using room temperature lemons! But, that’s not all. From there, roll them onto the counter until they’re super soft and squishy! This will yield the most amount of juice. Especially if you’re using a citrus juicer!

How To Store

Once this pie is assembled, you can cover it and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The toasted meringue will soften, but it will still taste delicious!

Expert Tips

• You can use a homemade or store-bought crust for this recipe.
• The corn starch and egg yolk mixture is VERY thick and can be hard to stir. We recommend using a rubber spatula and folding the two ingredients together until smooth and well combined.
• Be sure to constantly stir the egg yolk and corn starch mixture when pouring in the hot lemon syrup.
• When cooking the custard, it should take about 10-15 minutes to thicken.
• Try to get the filling as level as you can when adding it to the crust.
• Do not over cook the sugar syrup for the meringue! Anywhere between 246-250 is the perfect temperature.
• Slowly stream the sugar syrup into the egg whites. You don’t want to wind up with scrambled egg whites!
• It’s best to use a blow torch to toast the meringue.

When you make this Lemon Meringue Pie, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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