Last week, we made Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Lemon Meringue Pie for our Sunday family dinner. It was dynamite, as all her recipes always are! Then, this past weekend, we went to visit friend’s and couldn’t stop talking about this pie. Turns out, it was our friend’s favorite pie and she just happened to have all the ingredients on hand to make it. So, we made this pie again for her for the second time in two-weeks! And the second time was just as good as the first!
This pie is so good, but it does take a long time to make and has some complicated steps if you’re a new baker. So, make sure you have the time to make it. I would make the pastry ahead of time, too, if you can. Oh, and I didn’t make any adjustments to her recipe, other than streamlining the instructions a bit. But, her original recipe is linked in case you want the added context. She has lots of good information on things like par-baking!
I love this pie for a weekend BBQ, or special occasion. Or, if you just love to eat it! The curd isn’t too sweet, and the meringue tastes similar to marshmallows. It’s the perfect end to a great dinner! And, I truly think you’ll love it!
What’s your favorite pie recipe? I’d love to hear in the comments below. Happy baking!
Traditional Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
Filling:
- Homemade Pie Crust (make this ahead of time) or use 1 store-bought pie crust
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 and 1/3 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Meringue:
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and adjust oven rack to the lowest position. If using homemade pie crust, par-bake pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish (with baking beans or rice to weigh the crust down) for 7-8 minutes, or until crust begins to slightly brown. Then, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- To make the filling, whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside. Whisk the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. The mixture will be thin and cloudy, then eventually begin thickening and bubbling after about 6 minutes. Once thickened, whisk and reduce heat to low. Very slowly, stream a few large spoonfuls of warm lemon mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Then, also in a very slow stream, whisk the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Turn heat back up to medium. Cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the butter.
- Spread filling into the warm partially baked crust. Set aside as you prepare the meringue. (Don’t let the filling cool down too much as you want a warm filling when you top with the meringue. The warm filling helps seal the two layers together, preventing separation.)
- With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 more minutes. Add the sugar and salt, then continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Spread meringue on top of filling. Make sure you spread the meringue all the way to the edges so that it touches the crust. This helps prevent the meringue from weeping.
- Bake pie on the lowest oven rack for 20-25 minutes. (If the meringue is browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil over it as best you can without the foil touching the meringue.) When pie is done, remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill for 4 hours before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Season Generously 