Little Lemon Meringue Pies Recipes

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F. Fit a large piece of aluminum foil into a 9″ pie plate. Remove the foil and set both aside.
• Sift the flour twice, then whisk in the salt and create a well in the center.
• Pour in the oil, then milk and stir everything together. If the dough seems too dry, add 1-2 tbsp of milk.
• Once the dough starts to form, finish working it by gently kneading it on a sheet of wax paper.
• Roll out between 2 sheets of wax paper. Remove the top sheet of wax paper. Use the bottom sheet to lift and flip the dough onto the pie plate. Fit the crust onto the plate and finish the edges as desired.
• Place the foil on top and fill 2/3 of the way full with pie weights.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges start to brown. Grab the foil by all 4 corners, lift and remove.
• Poke the bottom of the crust haphazardly with the tines of a fork. Place back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom looks dry. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven to 350F.
• In a large saucepan, toss together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the water, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle boil over the stovetop while whisking constantly. Continue to cook for another minute until thick and translucent.
• Remove from heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest.
• Pour the hot filling into your partially baked pie crust. Set aside somewhere to keep warm.
• Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed until soft peaks form.
• Add in the vanilla and increase the speed to medium. Slowly add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating just until glossy and stiff peaks form.
• Spoon the meringue on top of the filling and spread to the edges, making sure to touch the crust. This will help prevent the meringue from shrinking. Spread and mound the rest of the meringue in the center to create a dome. Use the back of a spoon to create some dramatic swirls if desired.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge uncovered for 2 hours to firm up. Serve immediately or carefully cover until ready to serve. Best to enjoy the day it's made.

LITTLE LEMON MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Roll out pastry and use to line 8 x 10cm fluted loose-bottomed tart cases, leaving a little pastry overhanging. Prick the cases with a fork and bake blind for 20 mins (removing the paper and beans after 15 mins) until pale golden brown. Set aside to cool. When cool, use a serrated knife to neatly level the pastry.
• Meanwhile, put the zest, juice, butter and 225g sugar into a large heavy-based pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then remove the pan from the heat. Beat the whole eggs and yolks together, then stir into the pan. Stir over a low heat for 5-10 mins until thickened. Sieve into a bowl, then spoon into the cases. Any leftover curd will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Whisk the egg whites with 50g sugar in a grease-free bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the vinegar, then gradually whisk in the remaining sugar. 4 Put a good dollop of meringue on top of each tart, then dip a palette knife in hot water and make little peaks on each. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins or until just browned on top. Allow to cool, then serve.

MINI LEMON MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat the 3 yolks in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
• Whisk 3/4 cup of sugar with cornstarch and flour in a saucepan until thoroughly mixed; beat in the water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to a simmer. Add the egg yolks and butter, and mix with the whisk until the filling is smooth and thickened; remove from heat. Spoon the hot lemon filling into the mini graham cracker crusts.
• Beat the egg whites in a metal or glass bowl with 1/4 cup of sugar and the almond extract with an electric mixer until the meringue is fluffy and holds stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Top each lemon pie with about 1 inch of the meringue and spread into decorative swirls and peaks with a spatula. Cover all the lemon filling with meringue.
• Bake in preheated oven until the meringue is lightly golden brown with darker brown peaks and swirls, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

MINI LEMON MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into six 7-inch-diameter circles; place in six 4 1/2-inch pie pans. Crimp edges, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator, and prick bottoms of shells with a fork.
• Line piecrusts with parchment paper, and fill shells with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Transfer to oven; bake until edges begin to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights. Continue baking until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Sift together 1 1/4 cups sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Stir in 2 cups water, and mix until smooth; set aside.
• In a nonreactive saucepan, combine lemon juice, 5 egg yolks, and pinch of salt. Set over medium heat, and stir in cornstarch mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil, about 14 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the lemon zest and butter. Pour filling into a bowl, and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
• Pour lemon filling into the six piecrusts. Cover; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Heat broiler. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer. Combine 7 egg whites, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl of an electric mixer. Hold bowl over simmering water; whisk until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Return bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat until stiff peaks form. Using an offset spatula, spread each pie with meringue so the filling is covered and the meringue touches the edges of the piecrusts. Transfer pies to broiler, and lightly brown the meringue, watching constantly, 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from broiler, and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Serve.

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.

LITTLE LEMON MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening and butter until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half. Roll each portion into a 5-in. circle. Transfer to two 10-oz. custard cups. Press dough 1-1/8 inches up sides of cups. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in cold water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
• Stir half of hot filling into egg yolk; return all to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice and butter.
• Pour into pastry shells. In a small bowl, beat egg white and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

MINI LEMON MERINGUE PIES

Steps:

• To make the lemon filling, combine water, lemon juice, sugar and flours in a saucepan until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Stir yolks, butter and zest into the mixture until butter is completely melted and then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 200°C Lightly grease three 12-hole, mini muffin pans. Using a 6.5cm round cutter, cut 9 rounds from each pastry sheet. Use pastry to line muffin holes until you have 36. Place pans in freezer for 10 minutes or until pastry is firm. Bake pastry cases for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden. Remove from oven. Spoon 1 teaspoon of lemon filling into each pastry case.
• Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until meringue is thick and glossy. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and pipe meringue over top of lemon filling in a swirl that comes to a peak. Bake for 5 minutes or until meringue is set and just starting to brown at the top. Cool completely in pans before serving.

EXTRA-LEMONY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: On a lightly floured surface, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll pie dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan (not deep dish); fold the edges over and crimp them together. Prick crust all over with a fork and chill in freezer for 30 minutes until frozen. (Cover with plastic if freezing for longer than a few hours. Well wrapped, it will last in the freezer for up to a month.)
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil, fill with pie weights or dried rice, then bake for 12 minutes. Remove foil, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake until pale golden, 10 to 16 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool while you prepare the filling. (Leave the oven on if baking the pie immediately.)
• In a heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, egg and sugar. Stir in lemon juice, zest and salt. Add pieces of butter and cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 7 to 9 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 180 degrees. Inspect the filling: If you think there are any coagulated bits of egg, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
• Pour filling into pie crust and return to the oven to bake until filling is set (it should jiggle only slightly in the center), about 18 to 40 minutes. (Pies prepared in glass and ceramic dishes can take much longer to bake than those prepared in metal dishes. Don't give up: The curd will eventually set.) Remove pie from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees for baking the meringue.
• As the filling bakes, make the meringue: Fill a medium pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using a large metal bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl with the egg white mixture into the pot above the water, and whisk constantly by hand until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm (160 degrees on an instant thermometer) and has thickened and lightened in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-low speed and gradually increase speed to high, until mixture is thick and fluffy, and stiff peaks form, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in lemon zest. Mix with care to not deflate meringue: A few strokes should do it. Spread the meringue over the hot filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust. Using a knife or spatula, swirl in a design, if you like, and bake until lightly browned, about 8 to 12 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely and top with more lemon zest before serving.