Lemon Meringue Pie Easy

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This lemon meringue pie easy is just right. It's hard to say no when it has a tasty homemade pie crust, a tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy, toasted meringue topping.

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie Easy :

I've learned over the years, and especially in the past few months, that making a lemon meringue pie doesn't have to be hard. Let me make this recipe easy for you by giving you a tested (and praised!!) recipe and lots of helpful recipe notes.

• Blind bake pie crust
• Prepare lemon meringue pie filling
• Whip meringue topping
• On top of the filling, spread meringue.
• Bake pie until the top is golden brown.

Now that you have a general idea of how to make this pie, let's talk about why this recipe works and what you should not do.

Here’s Why This Lemon Meringue Pie Works

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When making lemon meringue pie, there are three main things that can go wrong: a soggy pie crust, a watery lemon filling, and/or a weeping meringue. Let's go over each one.

1. Let’s avoid a soggy pie crust : Start by blind baking the pie crust the right way. You want to partially blind bake the crust because it will continue to cook when the lemon meringue pie is put together and baked.
2. Now let us avoid a lemon filling with too much water: This was always where I had the most trouble. The filling for this pie is a thin version of lemon curd. You'll temper egg yolks. The filling of a lemon meringue pie should be smooth and creamy, but it should also be stable enough to cut into neat pieces. (Think of a pudding that is a little bit firmer but not as firm as jello.) A lot of back and forth happened with the amounts of water, lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar. Here's how to make my lemon meringue pie filling. It's not too sour or too sweet, and it's as smooth as silk but not too watery.
3. Let’s avoid a weeping meringue: There are many kinds of meringue toppings, but let's use a French meringue. Mix egg whites until they form soft peaks, then add sugar and beat until they form stiff peaks. Read these tips before trying to make meringue, unless you want to waste a lot of egg whites: Make sure to start with just the whites of the eggs. Not a single drop of egg yolk. Make sure to clean the bowl you're using thoroughly. No leftover oil or water. Cream of tartar should be added. This will help your meringue stay together. Make sure you add the sugar after the egg whites have formed soft peaks. If you added it before that, the egg whites might stretch out too much, which would make it impossible to get a stiff peak. Make sure the meringue topping goes all the way to the edge of the pie crust. This seals the lemon filling below and helps the crust stick to the meringue so that the two don't come apart. And lastly, don't make this pie on a day when it's very humid.

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How To Make The Topping For This Pie

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In the oven, the meringue toasts. Many recipes call for broiling the entire pie, but I prefer to bake it so that the egg whites have a chance to cook through. Also, see the recipe's step 5 at the end. Make sure the meringue topping is applied while the filling is still warm. The warm filling aids in the sealing of the two layers, preventing separation.

Did you know that?

(1) Cold egg whites whip faster than room temperature egg whites. Furthermore,(2) room temperature egg whites whip up more volume than cold egg whites. So, before beginning the meringue, make sure your egg whites are at room temperature.

Tip for saving time:

5 egg yolks are required for the lemon filling and 5 egg whites for the meringue topping. While the eggs are still cold, separate them. (Cold eggs separate more easily! Remember, there should be NO egg yolks in the meringue, not even a smidge.) Set aside the egg whites on the counter. Prepare the lemon filling while blind baking the pie crust. The egg whites should be room temperature by the time you're ready to begin the meringue.

Meringue can be hard to work with, but you're a baker, so you'll be fine.

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Want to see how to make the filling, the top, and how to put the pie together? Here you go!

Lemon Meringue Pie Easy

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• Author: Chef Lisa
• Total Time: 7 hours, 10 minutes
• Yield: one 9-inch pie 1x

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Description

This lemon meringue pie easy is just right. It's hard to say no when it has a tasty homemade pie crust, a tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy, toasted meringue topping.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 large egg yolks (use the whites to make the meringue below.)
• 1 and 1/3 cups water (320ml)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch (38g)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (120ml)
• 1 Teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter(28g) , at room temperature; softened

Meringue :

• 5 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)

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Instructions

1. Pie crust: Prior to making lemon meringue pie, I like to make sure the pie dough is ready. Pie dough needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking, so I always make it the night before (next step).
2. The oven should be preheated to 375°F (190°C) with the lowest oven rack. Your pie crust should be partially blind baked in a 9-inch pie pan. (Up until step 8 , adhere to the directions for blind baking.) Tip: While your crust is blind baking, you can begin the steps for the lemon meringue pie filling. If multitasking isn't your thing, simply wait until your crust has finished blind baking before starting the filling since you will need to temper the egg yolks.
3. Lower the oven's setting to 350°F (177°C).
4. Make the filling: In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the egg yolks. Place aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. After about 6 minutes, the mixture will go from being thin and cloudy to thickening and bubbling. Give it a whisk and turn down the heat once it has thickened.
5. Temper the egg yolks: A few generous spoonfuls of the warm lemon mixture should be poured into the beaten egg yolks very slowly. After that, add the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan while still whisking in a very slow stream. Adjust the heat back to medium. Cook the mixture until it thickens and large bubbles start to appear on the surface. Take a look at my example video up above. After taking the pan off the heat, whisk in the butter. In the warm, partially baked crust, spread the filling. As you make the meringue, set aside. (At step 6, when you top the filling with meringue, you want it to be warm, so don't allow it to cool down too much. The two layers are kept together by the warm filling, which also acts as a sealant.)
6. Make the meringue: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and beat for about 4 more minutes, until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and salt, and continue beating on high speed for about 2 more minutes, or until glossy, stiff peaks form. On top of the filling, spread the meringue. (I like to use the back of a large spoon to make pretty peaks.) Make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edges so that it touches the crust. This keeps the meringue from falling apart.
7. Bake the pie for 20 to 25 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. (If the meringue browns too quickly, make a tent with a piece of foil over it without touching the meringue.) When the pie is done, take it out of the oven, set it on a wire rack, and let it cool at room temperature for an hour before chilling it in the fridge. Let it chill for 4 hours before you cut it and serve it.
8. Cover any extra food and put it in the fridge. Lemon meringue pie tastes best on day 1 because it doesn't keep very well. No matter how hard you try, the meringue will dry out and separate over time, no matter what you do. Enjoy it as soon as possible.

• Prep Time: 6 hours
• Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

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