Lemon meringue pie

With this lemon meringue pie, lemon-lover’s dreams can come true! A delicious homemade pie crust, smooth lemon filling and a fluffy toasted meringue topping, it’s impossible to resist!

This is the ultimate lemon meringue pie! The tart and creamy lemon custard filling is topped with fluffy toasted meringue. Make this when you want something impressive.

INGREDIENTS:

Homemade Pie Crust

• 340 gr plain flour

• 2 large eggs

• 90g granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 150gr unsalted cold butter

For the filling

• 4 eggs

• 2 egg yolks (use the whites in the meringue below)

• 290gr granulated sugar

• 190 gr fresh cream

• 250gr fresh lemon juice

• lemon zest from 3 lemons

Meringue

• 5 egg whites

• 175g granulated sugar

• 50g water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the Pie Crust

• In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt

• Add cold butter cut in cubes and pulse until you have small pea-sized pieces

• Add the eggs while pulsing

• When you mix them well remove the blade and use a spatula to give a final mix

• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth

• Roll out the pastry 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)

• Heat the oven to 200C degrees and bake the pastry case ‘blind’ (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins

• Lower the oven to 180C degrees, remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside.

For the Filling

• Whisk together the eggs (yolks &whites) with the sugar

• Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh cream and whisk well to combine and to distribute all the dry ingredients

• Pour lemon filling onto pie shell and bake for 35-45 minutes lowering he temperature to 150c degrees

For the Meringue

• In a medium saucepan add 175 gr of sugar and 50gr water and place on medium-high heat

• Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear, maintain at medium-high heat

• Beat the egg whites until thick and very slowly add the syrup continue beating until soft peaks form

• Add the vanilla, beat to combine and use immediately

Assembly the tart

• Make sure that your pie and lemon filling are totally cold

• Add meringue using your spatula or a spoon to create some swirls

• You can toast the meringue with a kitchen torch until meringue is golden

• Chill until pie is set before cutting

Notes
1. Served the pie chilled
2. This pie works well with a cookie crust too!