Just The Best And Easiest Lemon Meringue Pie Recipes

MY MOM'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Press pie crust into a pie plate.
• Mix sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a bowl; pour into pie crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Five minutes before pie is done, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together in a bowl using an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Slowly add sugar to egg white mixture and continue beating until meringue forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pie from oven and increase temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread meringue onto warm pie, making sure meringue goes all the way to the edges creating a seal. Using the back of a spoon, dab the meringue and pull up, creating peaks across the pie.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature for 1 hour and store in the refrigerator.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

ULTIMATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the plain flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mix starts to bind - make sure the mix is not overworked.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into the flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don't worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 30 mins-1 hr (or overnight).
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the pastry case 'blind' (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside. Can be done a day ahead. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling. Mix the cornflour, golden caster sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually. Make the orange juice up to 200ml with water and strain into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
• Once the mixture bubbles, remove from the heat and beat in the butter until melted. Beat the egg yolks (save white for meringue) and the whole egg together, stir into the pan and return to a medium heat. Keep stirring vigorously for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens and plops from the spoon. (It will bubble, but doesn't curdle.) Take off the heat and set aside while you make the meringue.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add 100g of the golden caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking between each addition without overbeating. Whisk in the cornflour, then add the remaining 100g of sugar as before until smooth and thick.
• Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case. Immediately put spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling (if you start in the middle, the meringue may sink), then spread so it just touches the pastry (this will anchor it and help stop it sliding). Pile the rest into the centre, spreading so it touches the surface of the hot filling (and starts to cook), then give it all a swirl.
• Return to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and slightly coloured. Let the pie sit in the tin for 30 mins, then remove and leave for at least another 30 mins-1 hr before slicing. Eat the same day.

JUST THE BEST AND EASIEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Combine pie filling mix, sugar and 1/4 cup of the water.
• Blend in egg yolks and remaining water.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Blend in lemon juice and butter.
• Cool 5 minutes, stirring twice.
• Pour in pie shell.
• For meringue, beat egg whites until foamy.
• Gradually beat in 6 tablespoons sugar and beat until mixture forms stiff shiny peaks.
• Spread meringue over pie filling being sure to seal to the edge of pie crust and bake at 425 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is browned.
• Cool a few hours before serving.

BEST EVER LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 tsp.
• salt in saucepan; heat to boiling.
• Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make smooth paste.
• Gradually add to boiling mixture, stirring constantly.
• Cook until thick and clear.
• REMOVE FROM HEAT.
• Beat together egg yolks and lemon juice; stir into mixture.
• Return to heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles again.
• REMOVE FROM HEAT.
• Stir in butter and lemon rind.
• Cover; COOL TO LUKEWARM.
• Combine egg whites and 1/4 tsp.
• salt in bowl; beat until frothy.
• Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until thick and glossy peaks form.
• STIR 2 rounded tablespoonfuls of meringue into lukewarm FILLING.
• Pour into BAKED pie shell.
• Top with remaining meringue, spreading evenly.
• Bake in 325 F.
• oven 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Makes 6 to 8 servings.
• Farm Journal's Best Ever Recipes.