Mom’s Lemon Meringue Pie – Oh Sweet Basil

Learn to make a basic lemon meringue pie identical to Mother used to make! With a flaky crust, tart lemon filling, and fluffy meringue topping, this dessert is bound to grow to be a household favourite. Plus, watch our step-by-step tutorial to make sure excellent outcomes each time.

My mother was well-known for her Lemon Meringue Pie rising up. In actual fact, she nonetheless is!  It was typically requested for events or sick visits. (Actually, I keep in mind folks asking my mother to convey this pie as a substitute of hen noodle soup after they had been sick!)  I typically neglect how good it’s till I make it-then I simply can’t cease consuming it!

This recipe begins with a flakey homemade pie crust that’s stuffed with clean and creamy lemon filling and topped with toasted meringue. It’s completely irresistible!

Our youngsters particularly love the meringue. Irrespective of what number of occasions I make it with them and so they watch the complete course of they’re satisfied it’s marshmallow. I suppose it’s in a method, nevertheless it’s positively meringue. I really like that they’re so adamant. “Dad, mother made Grandma’s pie with the marshmallows!” We’re beginning to not appropriate them in any respect as they’re fairly darn certain that they’re proper and nothing goes to persuade them in any other case.

Lemon was one thing I actually struggled with as a child. I simply couldn’t stand that tart taste in any respect except it was a lemon head sweet. Do these even nonetheless exist? Anyway, It’s attention-grabbing how our style buds change as we develop up. A variety of the meals I didn’t like as a toddler aren’t ones that I simply take pleasure in now however really are my absolute favourite.

I’ve gobs of recipes with lemon like, Panko Crusted Chicken with Lemon Cream Sauce , Lemon Roasted Broccoli, Lemon Raspberry Bars, Lemon Curd, and Lemon Raspberry Donuts. I didn’t even get into the salads, cupcakes, and so on!

What Components Do You Want for Lemon Meringue Pie?

I’m going to interrupt up the elements checklist into two sections – filling and meringue. The elements are easy, however when mixed…look out! Completely tart filling with the marginally candy meringue, pie heaven!

For the Filling

• Sugar
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Water
• Lemon Zest
• Lemon Juice
• Egg Yolks
• Unsalted Butter

For the Meringue

• Giant Egg Whites (room temperature)
• Salt
• Cream of Tarter
• Sugar

The measurements for every elements may be discovered within the recipe card beneath.

Ought to Egg Whites Be Room Temperature For Meringue?

PRO TIP: Separate the eggs whereas the eggs are chilly. They separate a lot simpler after they come straight out of the fridge.

Convey egg whites to room temperature to make sure quantity when beating.

Hotter eggs whip sooner than chilly eggs.

Egg whites proper out of the fridge won’t whip nicely.

Methods to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

Ensure you’ve got a pre-baked pie crust (Mom’s Magic Pie Crust or My Favorite Pie Crust) prepared so as to add the filling to. Now I’m going to stroll you thru every step of creating the filling and meringue for the finest lemon meringue pie recipe ever!

For the Filling

1. Mix the cornstarch, salt and sugar in a big sauce pan, after which add the water stirring till clean.
2. Cook dinner over medium warmth, continuously stirring, till it’s thick and clear.
3. Take away it from the warmth.
4. Stir within the lemon juice and lemon zest.
5. Put it again on the warmth and cook dinner for two minutes.
6. Take a small quantity of the recent liquid and whisk it with the egg yolks in a small bowl. This tempers the eggs in order that they don’t curdle when they’re added to the remainder of the combination.
7. Add the tempered eggs again to the pan and cook dinner for one more 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
8. Take away the pan from the warmth and add the butter.
9. In the meantime, be making ready the meringue.

For the Meringue and Meeting

1. Ensure the egg whites are at room temperature. Mix them with the salt and cream of tarter and whisk them on excessive pace within the bowl a stand mixer with the whisk attachment till comfortable peaks kind.
2. Proceed beating and progressively including the sugar and beat till stiff peaks kind.
3. Pour the lemon filling right into a baked pie shell.
4. Unfold the meringue on high of the cooled pie filling. Be certain that to unfold the meringue all the best way to the crust and up somewhat on all sides. This helps seal the meringue so it doesn’t shrink. I begin by making a donut with the meringue by spreading it first across the outer edges after which piling into the middle.
5. Use the again of a spoon or a spatula to create peaks.
6. Bake the pie at 350 levels F for 10-12 minutes or till the highest is golden brown down within the valleys of the meringue.
7. Serve both at room temperature or chilled.

Watch Methods to Make Lemon Meringue Pie

Methods to Keep away from a Soggy Pie Crust

One of the best methods to keep away from a soggy pie crust are to blind bake with each a docking and weights methodology adopted by an egg wash and additional baking.

1. Use a glass pie plate which conducts warmth the perfect out of all pie dishes. Subsequent up? Ceramic is nice as nicely.
2. Chill the dough within the pie plate after forming it and earlier than baking.
3. Dock your crust by poking about 10 occasions on the crust backside and sides with a fork.
4. Place aluminum foil or parchment paper within the crust and add weights equal to the lip of the pie or no less than midway up.
5. In case you’re actually fighting a lower than flaky crust, pop a cookie sheet within the oven to preheat and place the pie plate on that. The underside warmth will assist to maintain the crust flaky.
6. Begin at 425 levels F but when it’s browning too rapidly be ready to cut back the temperature to 375 after 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Egg wash! After the preliminary bake of the crust, after pulling out the weights and earlier than it goes again within the oven to complete, merely brush the bottom of the crust frivolously with an egg wash (1 egg white and somewhat water or 1 egg yolk and about 2 teaspoons heavy cream whisked collectively. Yolks brown extra fyi) after which return the pie to the oven simply to set the egg, 1-2 minutes.

Why is My Lemon Meringue Pie Watery? 

1. You’ve gotten probably overworked your lemon filling. The cornstarch is important for a great bind within the filling however overworking it really weakens the filling and permits extra separation and weeping to happen. To keep away from this, cook dinner the filling twice- cornstarch is cooked with the sugar and lemon juice till thickened barely, then the eggs are added and the entire filling is cooked once more till very thick.
2. The second purpose is that the filling is cooling so the steam is not current once you add the meringue. The filling needs to be piping sizzling, recent from the saucepan, once you pour it into the shell and add the meringue. Sizzling filling brings steam which is able to journey up by the egg whites and cook dinner the meringue from the underside in addition to within the oven. If the filling has cooled, the filling will warmth up and the steam will get trapped between the filling and meringue, making a watery layer that causes the highest AND filling to separate.

What Makes Meringue Shrink?

1. Excessive humidity and over baking meringue will trigger meringue to shrink. Climate really issues with meringue. Keep away from making meringue on humid days. The sugar within the egg-white combination takes on moisture from the air, making it comfortable troublesome to get thick, stiff peaks. This may additionally trigger meringues to weep.
2. Meringue needs to be sealed tightly towards the pie crust to assist maintain the meringue from shrinking. To attain this, place the meringue first in a donut across the pie crust, pushing it towards the sides. Subsequent, add extra meringue to fill in the remainder of the pie after which change to a spoon which is smaller and won’t pull on the meringue as a lot with a purpose to make peaks.
3. Just be sure you solely have egg whites and never a drop of yolk. Even somewhat yolk will break your meringue.
4. Be certain that your bowl is totally clear, no oil, no water or condensation allowed.

Can Lemon Meringue Pie Be Made Forward of Time?

Sure and no- it may be made as much as 2 days forward of time and saved within the fridge, however it should start weeping. For that reason we virtually demand {that a} lemon meringue pie at all times be made the day of consumption.

Methods to Make a Lemon Meringue Pie Forward of Time

1. Put together and bake your pie crust forward of time, masking in plastic wrap on the counter.
2. In case you MUST make the filling forward, retailer it within the fridge after which reheat very gently and pour into the pie crust and instantly high with meringue. We tremendously encourage you to simply make it the day you bake the pie however perceive generally you gotta do what you gotta do.

Methods to Retailer Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie needs to be saved within the fridge and can maintain within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

You’re about to be the individual that everybody is asking for his or her lemon meringue pie cravings! This pie is pretty much as good as pies come, and I’m a self-proclaimed pie skilled! It’s candy, tart, tangy, wealthy, decadent, and all the pieces you’ll ever need in a lemon meringue pie recipe!

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