I made this pie way back in June for Cam’s birthday and then with the busy summer, I almost forgot about posting the recipe! This was over-the-top delicious and Cam’s love for lemony desserts was happily satisfied.
You can make the filling and the dough for the crust a day ahead or the morning you plan to serve this dessert. It’s also a lot easier to make this recipe if you have a candy thermometer.
It had been many years since I’d made a lemon meringue pie and I was a bit nervous during the making of this one. Making the meringue was a bit finicky but now that I’ve done it, I know what to expect and hope I conveyed the same below. I’m planning to make this again soon to reinforce the process into my mind. That and I can’t wait to taste this sweet pie again! Here’s what I did:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Filling:
- 1 1/4 cups Sugar
- 1 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 8 Egg Yolks (save 3 for for the meringue)
- 3 tbsp Butter cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp grated lemon zest
- In a saucepan whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch, and salt. Cook over medium heat until the mixtures becomes transparent and starts to thicken.
- Gradually whisk the egg yolks into the mixture and then add the butter. Cook until the mixture is thick and can coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain through a strainer and stir in the lemon zest. Cover with wax paper touching the surface of the lemon filling and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
- 1/2 cup cold Unsalted Butter, cubed into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Almond Milk (or other)
- Put the cubed butter in the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes. Measure out the almond milk and pop it in the freezer for a few minutes too.
- Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor with the dough blade in place. Take the cold butter from the freezer and process it with the flour mixture until lumpy.
- While the machine is processing, add the cold almond milk. Once the dough has come together, wrap the dough well in wax paper in a disc shape and put in the fridge for an hour. (Can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
- Roll out the crust dough into a circle big enough for pie pan. Bake until golden on 350′. Let cool.
Meringue:
- 3 Egg Whites
- pinch of Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 2/3 cup Water
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- In a bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt until they form peaks. Turn the mixer off and start making the syrup.
- Make the syrup by combining the sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a saucepan and boiling over medium-high heat. When the mixture reaches 245 degrees (firm ball stage), turn the mixer back on and mix on a slow speed. Slowly stream the syrup into the egg whites with the mixer still running. Let the mixer whisk until the bowl cools off and is room temperature, about 7 minutes. (A few more if you’re using a hand mixer; use your eyes to judge) Fold in the vanilla.
- Layer the lemon filling in the bottom of the baked pie crust. Top with the meringue layer. Spread evenly, but makes peaks with a spatula. Bake in a preheated 400′ oven for 4-6 minutes or until the top of the pie is a pale golden brown.
- This pie is best served the day that it is made.
