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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Lemon Meringue Pie

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    Published: Aug 5, 2019 · Modified: Oct 5, 2019 by Lucy · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    A classic homemade Lemon Meringue Pie recipe with three perfect layers of melt-in-your-mouth pie crust, a creamy lemon filling and a fluffy meringue topping. 

    A classic homemade Lemon Meringue Pie recipe with three perfect layers of melt-in-your-mouth pie crust, a creamy lemon filling and a fluffy meringue topping. 

    A slice of lemon meringue pie with creamy lemon filling.

    When lemons are in season, I can't resist baking a few of my favourite lemon recipes (including my lemon baked cheesecake, lemon & coconut slice and creamy lemon crumble bars)... and of course, this classic Lemon Meringue Pie is always at the top of my list!

    Golden meringue on top of a shortcrust pie base.

    Ingredients List

    There are 3 delicious layers to a lemon meringue pie

    For The Base: 

    • plain flour
    • icing sugar
    • butter
    • egg yolks

    For The Lemon Filling

    • caster sugar
    • cornflour
    • lemon zest
    • lemon juice
    • water
    • butter
    • egg yolks
    • egg

    For The Meringue

    • egg whites
    • caster sugar
    • cornflour

    Cooked meringue on top of lemon curd and pastry.

    How To Make A Lemon Meringue Pie

    Step 1 - Make The Base

    Prepare the base by mixing the ingredients in a food processor or Thermomix until crumbly. Knead into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 10 minutes. Press the dough into a flan/pie tin (with a removable base) and prick the base with a fork. Place into the freezer for a further 20 minutes. 

    A ball of shortcrust pastry.

    Step 2 - Blind Bake The Pastry

    Remove the tin from the freezer and add a sheet of baking paper and baking weights (see tips below). Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. 

    A uncooked homemade shortcrust pastry being pressed into a flan tin.

    Step 3 - Make The Lemon Filling

    Place the caster sugar, cornflour, lemon zest, lemon juice and water into a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat and use a whisk to beat through the chopped butter, egg yolks and egg. Place back onto the stove-top and cook until the mixture has considerably thickened and 'plops' off the whisk in chunks. 

    A saucepan with sugar, lemon zest and cornflour and a measuring jug filled with lemon juice.

    Eggs and butter being added to a saucepan with lemon.

    Lemon curd being stirred with a whisk in a saucepan.

    Lemon curd filling inside a shortcrust pastry shell.

    Step 4 - Make The Meringue

    Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Slowly add the cornflour and the caster sugar and continue to beat. 

    Step 5 - Bake The Pie

    Spoon the meringue over the top of the lemon filling, starting from the edge and working your way to the middle. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. 

    Meringue being added to the outside of a lemon tart. Whipped egg whites on top of a pastry pie base.
    Blind Baking Pastry

    Bind baking pastry is the process of partially cooking the pastry before adding in the liquid filling. This allows the pastry surface to seal so that the liquid doesn't seep in and make the base soggy. 

    When blind baking pastry, you will need to add baking weights (which can be bought at most supermarkets or homewares stores), or alternatively you can lay a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and pour rice on top. Remove and discard the baking paper and rice once the pastry is cooked. The weights prevent the pastry from 'bubbling' or forming large lumps when baked. 

    A cake slice removing a piece of lemon meringue pie.

    How To Store A Lemon Meringue Pie

    After baking, the pie needs to cool in the tin for 30 minutes. It can then be removed from the tin and cooled for a further 1 hour at room temperature. If the pie is going to be consumed within 2 hours, it can be kept at room temperature. However, after this time, lemon meringue pie needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed within 2-3 days. 

    Creamy lemon and golden meringue on a fork.

    FAQ

    Why do I need to blind bake the pastry?

    Blind baking the pastry prevents it from becoming soggy when the lemon filling is added. It seals the surface of the pastry so that the liquid filling doesn't seep in. 

    Why is my lemon meringue pie 'weeping'?

    Lemon meringue pies will start to weep or go slightly watery after being refrigerated. There is no need to refrigerate the lemon meringue pie if you're going to serve it within 1-2 hours of baking, but it will need to be refrigerated after that time. 

    Should I keep lemon meringue pie in the fridge?

    Yes, it needs to be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It can stay at room temperature for 1-2 hours after baking, but then needs to be refrigerated. 

    How long will lemon meringue pie last?

    If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the pie will last for 2-3 days. 

    Can I use limes instead of lemons?

    Yes, absolutely!! Limes taste delicious in this recipe too!

     

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    A classic homemade Lemon Meringue Pie recipe with three perfect layers of melt-in-your-mouth pie crust, a creamy lemon filling and a fluffy meringue topping. 

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    A classic homemade Lemon Meringue Pie recipe with three perfect layers of melt-in-your-mouth pie crust, a creamy lemon filling and a fluffy meringue topping. 
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: desserts
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 12 serves
    Calories: 456kcal
    Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

    Ingredients

    For the pastry

    • 300 g (2 cups) plain flour
    • 150 g (1 cup) icing sugar
    • 200 g butter chilled
    • 2 egg yolks

    For the lemon filling

    • 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
    • 2 tbs cornflour
    • lemon zest finely grated from 3 lemons
    • 200 ml lemon juice
    • 125 ml water
    • 85 g butter
    • 3 egg yolks
    • 1 whole egg

    For the meringue

    • 5 egg whites room temperature
    • 200 g caster sugar
    • 2 tsp cornflour

    Instructions

    Conventional Method

    • Place the flour, icing sugar and butter in a food processor and blend until combined. Add the egg yolks and blend until just combined but still crumbly.
    • Knead dough into a ball, wrap is plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 10 minutes.
    • Press the dough evenly into a round 30cm flan tin with a removable base. Trim any overhanging pastry from around the top. Place the pastry tin onto a flat tray (this makes it easier to move) and place into the freezer for 20 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
    • Prick the base of the pie with a fork and then blind bake the base for 15 minutes (see notes) or until golden. Remove from the oven.
    • To make the lemon filling, place the caster sugar, cornflour, lemon zest, lemon juice and water into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat.
    • Use a whisk to beat through the chopped butter, egg yolks and egg.
    • Once melted, place back over a medium heat and continue to stir constantly for a further 2-3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and will drop off your whisk in a chunk.
    • Spread the lemon filling over the top of the cooked pie base.
    • To make the meringue, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Very slowly (while continuing to beat), add the cornflour and the caster sugar.
    • Place large spoonfuls of the meringue around the edge of the lemon meringue pie and then work your way into the middle with the remaining meringue. Use a knife to add a few swirls.
    • Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before removing and leaving to cool for a further 1 hour (minimum) before serving.

    Thermomix Method

    • Place the flour, icing sugar, butter and egg yolks into the Thermomix bowl. Mix on Speed 8, 10 seconds then on Interval/Knead function for 2 minutes.
    • Knead dough into a ball, wrap is plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 10 minutes.
    • Press the dough evenly into a round 30cm flan tin with a removable base. Trim any overhanging pastry from around the top. Place the pastry tin onto a flat tray (this makes it easier to move) and place into the freezer for 20 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).Prick the base of the pie with a fork and then blind bake the base for 15 minutes (see notes) or until golden. Remove from the oven.
    • To make the lemon filling, place the caster sugar into the Thermomix bowl and mill for 10 seconds, Speed 9. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
    • Add the cornflour, lemon zest, lemon juice, water and butter and cook for 4 minutes, 60 degrees, Speed 2. With blades still rotating on Speed 2, add the egg yolks and whole egg one at a time through hole in mixing bowl lid. Once eggs are mixed through, cook for 7 minutes, 80 degrees, Speed 2. The mixture will thicken on cooling.
    • Spread the lemon filling over the top of the cooked pie base.
    • To make the meringue, insert the butterfly into a clean and dry Thermomix bowl and add the egg whites. Set the timer for 8 minutes, 37 degrees, Speed 3.5. When the meringues form soft peaks, very slowly add the cornflour and then the caster sugar through the MC hole. Continue to beat until firm peaks form.
    • Place large spoonfuls of the meringue around the edge of the lemon meringue pie and then work your way into the middle with the remaining meringue. Use a knife to add a few swirls.
    • Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
    • Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before removing and leaving to cool for a further 1 hour (minimum) before serving.

    Notes

    RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
    Chilling the dough: For a crispy melt-in-your-mouth pie crust, chill the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes before pressing into a flan/pie tin (with a removable base) and placing into the freezer for 20 minutes before blind baking. 
    Blind baking pastry: Bind baking pastry is the process of partially cooking the pastry before adding in the liquid filling. This allows the pastry surface to seal so that the liquid doesn’t seep in and make the base soggy. When blind baking pastry, you will need to use baking weights, or alternatively you can lay a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and pour rice on top.
    How to know if the lemon filling is thick enough: The lemon filling needs to be constantly stirred on the stove-top while it cooks. It's ready when it 'plops' off a thick in large chunks. 
    Storing the pie: After baking, the pie needs to cool in the tin for 30 minutes. It can then be removed from the tin and cooled for a further 1 hour at room temperature. If the pie is going to be consumed within 2 hours, it can be kept at room temperature. However, after this time, lemon meringue pie needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and consumed within 2-3 days. 
    Lime alternative: Limes can be used instead of lemons in this recipe. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 6.4mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @BakePlaySmileBlog or tag #BakePlaySmile!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacinta Weeks

      December 26, 2021 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      This was really delicious! I made this for my family for Christmas and it was a really really big hit. I have shared this recipe with many since then.
      Some things I learned along the way; I mention these points incase it helps others (I made two pies, one earlier in the week as a test run)
      1. I subsituted the flour for a gluten free flour and it worked really well, no alterations needed.
      2. I love lemon - so i thought the more lemon the better... which i discovered was not the case for lemon zest. I zested 6 lemons and my first pie was too bitter; def stick to the recommended 3.
      3. With the first pie, I made the base 2 days earlier and then did the curd and meringue later, this worked well. The second pie, I did the base and curd earlier, then put it in the fridge and later did the meringue...I think this was not as good and possibly caused a bit of weeping between the meringue and curd
      cheers, i hope that helps

      Reply
      • Lucy

        December 27, 2021 at 9:07 am

        Hi Jacinta, thank you so much for your lovely feedback and tips!!!

        Reply
    2. Emma

      June 25, 2021 at 3:42 pm

      Arrrrg help! I’m just making this via thermomix method. My filling seems to be to runny to set like it should. Does it go better once cooled? Or have I done something wrong.

      Reply
      • Lucy

        June 26, 2021 at 1:51 pm

        Hi Emma, it will set firmer, however, if you're worried you can cook the mixture a little longer (but remember that it still has to cook in the oven as well!).

        Reply
    3. Rebecca Griffiths

      December 25, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      Really good, though i cant comment on the base as i used a left over biscuit mix i had left. I made the thermomix recipe. Big hit

      Reply
    4. Megan

      September 16, 2020 at 9:37 am

      5 stars
      This recipe was delicious!

      My filling seemed to split a little when in the oven but it was so tasty and a nice texture in the mouth. The meringue was beautiful. My only trouble was in blind baking the pastry. It kind of melted down the sides of the tin. Maybe in needed a bit more time in the freezer... none the less, i smooshed it up the sides of the tin with a spoon and baked it a bit longer and i still used it successfully. The base was lovely and biskuity

      Reply
    5. Katerin

      August 24, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Hey lucy,
      Can I use the filling from your other lemon tart instead of this one here? I'm just missing dome of the ingredients.
      Thanks,
      Katerin

      Reply
      • Lucy

        August 24, 2020 at 2:06 pm

        Absolutely!

        Reply

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