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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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Lemon Meringue Pie
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 teaspoon 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.
Jacinta Weeks says
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
Lucy says
Hi Jacinta, thank you so much for your lovely feedback and tips!!!
Emma says
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.
Lucy says
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!).
Rebecca Griffiths says
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
Megan says
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
Tylah says
This looks delicious. Does the finished start last well in the fridge?
Lucy says
It's best served fresh but will last a few days in the fridge!
Katerin says
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
Lucy says
Absolutely!