This Classic Lemon Meringue Pie has a tart lemon filling balanced with a sweetened meringue topping and buttery, flaky pie crust.
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Ingredients
1Pastry for 9-inch piebaked and cooled
1 ½teaspoonsgrated lemon rind
5tablespoonslemon juice2-3 lemons - see notes
3eggsseparated
1cupplus 4 tablespoons granulated white sugar(divided use)
4tablespoonscornstarch
¼teaspoonsalt
1 ½cupswater
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
Instructions
Bake a standard 9-inch pie shell according to the recipe or package directions. Set aside.
Beat the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Mix the cornstarch, salt, and ½ cup of sugar in the top of a double boiler. Gradually stir in the water. Place over boiling water and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not remove from heat.
Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Immediately pour the egg yolk mixture into the remaining hot mixture over boiling water blending thoroughly. Cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the butter, lemon rind, and lemon juice stirring until butter is completely melted.
Set the mixture aside and allow it to cool to room temperature without stirring again.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Pour the filling into the baked pie shell.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form but not until dry. Gradually beat in the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar. Spread the meringue over the filling, being sure to seal it to the crust.
Bake until delicately browned, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and serve.
Notes
You will need two to three lemons to obtain the five tablespoons of juice. Since lemons are different sizes, they yield different amounts of juice. On average, one lemon contains about two tablespoons of juice.
For an extra high meringue, use one additional egg white.
Making a meringue is really easy, just remember - don't overbeat it! It should be beaten until stiff peaks form but not to the point that the egg whites are dry.