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 18 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: desserts

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: serves

Calories: 456kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Equipment

Food processor or Thermomix
Stove-top or Thermomix
Beaters or Thermomix
Oven

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