Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
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- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – cold, cut into small cubes
- 4 tbsp ice water
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 large egg yolks – beaten
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 large egg whites – room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
1. Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 tsp granulated sugar, and 0.25 tsp fine sea salt.
2. Cut in the 0.5 cup cold, cubed unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-size bits of butter.
3. Sprinkle in the 4 tbsp ice water and toss just until the dough clumps and holds together. Form into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap, and chill 1 hour.
4. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment into a 12-inch round. Peel off parchment, fit into a 9-inch pie plate, and trim/crimp edges. Prick the bottom with a fork and freeze 15 minutes.
5. Blind-bake: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the crust with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights, then bake until golden and dry, 12–15 minutes more. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C).
6. Start the filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk the 1 cup granulated sugar, 0.25 cup cornstarch, and 0.125 tsp fine sea salt. Gradually whisk in the 1.5 cups water until smooth.
7. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, turns glossy, and bubbles, about 5–7 minutes (2–3 minutes after it begins to simmer).
8. Temper the egg yolks: Place the 4 large beaten egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk in a ladle (about 1 cup) of the hot mixture slowly, then return this to the saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick with steady “plopping” bubbles, 1–2 minutes.
9. Finish the filling off heat by whisking in the 4 tbsp unsalted butter until melted, then the 1 tbsp lemon zest and 0.5 cup fresh lemon juice. Immediately pour the hot filling into the warm crust and smooth the top.
10. Make the meringue: In a clean bowl, beat the 4 large room temperature egg whites with the 0.25 tsp cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, 1–2 minutes. Gradually add the 0.5 cup granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, increasing to high speed and beating to stiff, glossy peaks, 2–3 minutes more.
11. Spread the meringue over the hot filling, touching and sealing it to the crust all around. Swirl or peak the surface.
12. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the meringue is golden brown, 15–20 minutes; the peaks should be well-colored and the surface set.
13. Cool on a rack until room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill until the filling is fully set and slices cut cleanly, 1–2 hours. Slice and serve the same day for best texture.
Lemon Meringue Pie pairs a silky, tart lemon filling with a billowy, toasted meringue, all cradled in a tender, flaky crust. The balance is the charm: bright citrus acidity softened by butter and egg yolks, capped with a lightly caramelized, marshmallow-like topping. Each bite moves from crisp pastry to creamy curd to airy sweetness, making it an enduring dessert showpiece.
The pie traces its lineage to lemon custards and tarts in Europe, while the dramatic meringue topping became a hallmark of 19th-century pastry craft. In the United States, the combination coalesced into the modern Lemon Meringue Pie that rose to prominence in home and diner baking through the 20th century. Today it remains a nostalgic classic, celebrated for its contrast of textures and flavors and its theatrical finish.