Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie Recipes

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.

PERFECT LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• PIE CRUST:.
• Mix flour, vegetable shortening, and salt together in a bowl using a wired pastry cutter. The dough should form into small clumps that don't feel greasy.
• Using a tablespoon, put the ice cold water in one tablespoon at a time, mixing as you go. I usually start with about four - six tablespoons and work my way up from there. The dough will eventually form into a ball. The dough should not feel wet on the outside, just slightly moist and if you break it in 1/2, it should not feel soggy on the inside. If you put in a little too much water, you can always add a bit more flour.
• If you like, you can wrap the dough and place it in the refrigerator for awhile at this stage. Using the ice water, though, removes the need to refrigerate if you don't want to.
• When you're ready to roll, dust your work surface (I use taped-down wax paper for this), your hands, your rolling pin, and your dough with flour. Roll out the dough on your work surface starting in the middle and working outward. Try to keep it in circle form, but it isn't a huge deal. Roll it until it is about 1/4" thick all over.
• Lift up the dough and place it in your pie dish.
• Poke the dough at the bottom of the pie dish with a fork all over. Take the teaspoon or so of sugar and sprinkle it all along the bottom, covering the fork holes. This prevents the bottom of the crust from getting soggy your filling to leaking.
• Around the top rim of your pie dish, pinch the dough so that it forms a small peak all around the rim. I do this by placing my index finger of my left hand on the top of the rim and the thumb from my left hand on the bottom. I then do the same with my right hand about one inch to the right. I slide my right hand (still gripping the dough) toward my left hand, allowing the dough on top of the rim to peak.
• Once this is done, dip two fingers in water, place around one of the peaks and pull your fingers back and down onto the rim of the pie dish to seal the "valleys" of your dough to the pie dish. This prevents them from coming up when baking.
• For the lemon meringue pie, you need to pre-bake your pie crust a bit. The fork wholes at the bottom should prevent it from bubbling up. If you want, you can line the crust with parchment paper and put in some dry beans while baking it to help keep the shape.
• Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until it starts turning brown. You'll be baking it for about another 10 minutes later, so you don't want it to get too brown.
• Allow the pie crust to cool while making the filling and meringue.
• Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.
• LEMON FILLING:.
• Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium (3 quart) saucepan.
• Blend water and egg yolks together.
• Turn heat on medium and gradually add water and egg yolks to the mixture.
• Continue to heat on medium, allowing the mixture to simmer, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Remove from heat, gently stir in juice and zest and then stir in butter until it melts.
• Put aside while preparing meringue, but don't allow mixture to cool.
• MERINGUE:.
• In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch, water, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until thickened and clear. Remove from heat.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
• Beat in vanilla extract.
• Beat in 1/2 cup of sugar, a little at a time.
• Finally beat in cornstarch mixture a little at a time and continue beating until all the sugar has dissolved and the meringue forms a soft peak.
• ASSEMBLING THE PIE:.
• Pour the warm lemon filling into the pie crust and smooth it until it is even.
• Top the pie with meringue, pushing the edges of the pie crust - ensuring that it makes a good seal with the crust. I like to use the back of a spoon to form little peaks in the meringue.
• Heat at 375 for 10-15 minutes until meringue turns a soft golden brown.
• Allow to cool completely before serving.

MARTHA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit a homemade or store-bought pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; line crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Carefully lift and remove paper with pie weights and let crust cool.
• Prepare Lemon Curd through step 1. Whisk together 1 cup cold water and 1/4 cup cornstarch add to lemon mixture along with butter in step 2 and continue as directed. Do not chill curd; pour directly into cooled crust and smooth top. Refrigerate until chilled and set, 3 hours (or up to 1 day).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Pile meringue on pie, making sure it touches the crust all around. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

CLASSIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add 3 tablespoons cold water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Roll out dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer crust to pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned., Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and lemon zest. Gradually stir in lemon juice just until combined. Pour into the crust., For meringue, in a saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in cold water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is clear. Transfer to a bowl; cool., Beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat in cornstarch mixture on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edge to crust., Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

WORLD'S BEST LEMON PIE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Pour into pastry shell. In a bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry peaks are formed. Gradually beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over pie, sealing edges to pastry. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

THE ULTIMATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Make pie shell: Mix flour, sugar and salt in a food processor, by pulsing a few times.
• Scatter the frozen butter pieces over flour mixture.
• Pulse in 1-second pulses about 5 times to mix in butter.
• Add frozen shortening; pulsing in 1-second pulses until mixture resembles cornmeal with pieces about the size of peas.
• Slowly add ice water through the processor feed tube, with motor running, one tbsp at a time.
• When dough forms a ball, stop processing.
• It should take about 2 or 3 tbsp of ice water to reach this stage.
• Shape dough into a ball in your flour coated hands, and then flatten into a 4 inch wide disk.
• Flour disk and wrap in plastic.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Generously coat your work surface or pastry sheet with a little flour and about 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs.
• Place dough on floured surface, coat with some flour and graham cracker crumbs, and roll into a 9-inch disk.
• Lift, coat surface with more graham and flour, turn dough, add more graham and flour on top, and roll out to a 13 inch disk.
• Place into a 9 inch pie pan, and finish edges.
• Refrigerate crust until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Prick dough with a fork to prevent bubbling up in the oven.
• While the oven is pre-heating to 375, put pie crust in freezer.
• Bake at 375 for 20- 25 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure it's browning evenly and not bubbling up.
• Lemon Filling: Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a large, nonreactive saucepan.
• Add egg yolks, then immediately but gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups water.
• Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking regularly, 8- 10 minutes, until thickened.
• Remove from heat, whisk in zest, then juice, and finally butter.
• Keep warm until meringue is made.
• Meringue topping: Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan.
• Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally until thickened.
• Remove from heat when translucent and thickened.
• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix cream of tartar and sugar together.
• Beat egg whites with whip attachment of mixer until frothy. Add vanilla.
• Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tbsp at a time.
• Then drop in cornstarch mixture, 1 tbsp at a time until stiff peaks form.
• Pour warm lemon filling into pie crust.
• Distribute meringue evenly over the top, starting with the edges, and then the middle.
• Make sure it attaches to the crust.
• Lifting with the back of the spoon, create peaks in the meringue.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Cool completely before serving.