a lemon meringue pie to die for

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lemon meringue pie- cityhippyfarmgirl

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lemon meringue pie- cityhippyfarmgirl

I’m the kind of girl who when reading a menu in a restaurant, goes straight to the dessert list at the back.

I’m also the kind of girl who is happy to squash a nose up against cafe glass in order to see a cake cabinet just that little bit better.

I’m definitely the kind of girl to stare off dreamily, thinking about how I was going to tweak my current Lemon Meringue Pie recipe.

It’s just the sort of girl I am.

Me and Lemon Meringue Pie go way back. Way, way back to the time when as a little girl, I would take just a little longer in the fridge than was necessary, carefully dipping my finger into the lemony mixture of the pie. I’d also watch any baking my mum would be doing using condensed milk, hoping for a quick turn of her back, so I could get into that empty sweet goodness can. As a baby I was known to happily enjoy eating lemon segments in my highchair. You see Lemon Meringue Pie and I, we were always meant to be.

When I first blogged about it with this lemon meringue pie. I thought I had nailed it.

Alas, not so. Not even remotely. How do I know this? I know this as, this is the recipe that I will now take to my grave. Not in a not sharing kind of way, but more, I’d like to be buried with the recipe on me. It’s that kind of love.

Now I know Lemon Meringue Pie is serious business and people generally fall into two categories- you either thinks it ok, or love it to the moon and back, and maybe back again one more time. It’s the latter kind of people who will be scrutinising this recipe and wondering whether this really is the recipe to end all recipes, (and to be buried with.)

I sincerely think it is.

lemon meringue pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

Pastry

180g softened butter

50g icing sugar

2 egg yolks

250g plain flour

In a mixer beat the butter and sugar together until pale, then add the yolks. Gently mix through the flour and a tablespoon or so of cold water to bring it together. Between two baking sheets, roll it out to about .5cm thickness. Into the fridge for about an hour. Grease your pie or tart dish and line the pastry with it. With fork, prick the base all over and bake blind at 180C for about 20 minutes or until light golden.

Lemon Middle

1 can condensed milk

2 egg yolks

125mls lemon juice

zest of one whole lemon

1 tsp cornflour

Whisk in a pot over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Pour into the pie base and set in the fridge until cold.

Italian Meringue

2 egg whites

175g sugar

60mls water

Whisk egg whites to a soft peak form, while you are doing that, in a pot add the sugar and water. Dissolve over a medium heat, using a small wet pastry brush to brush down any sugar particles on the side. Bring the heat up to 121C (hard ball stage) and with the mixer still going high, pour in the sugar syrup in a steady slow stream. Keep beating until the mixture is thick and glossy (about 10 minutes or so, until it becomes room temperature.)

Pipe it on to your pie base.

Eat with enthusiasm and generous helpings.

57 thoughts on “a lemon meringue pie to die for”

  6. I’ve dreamed for many years to have my own beautiful tea room with a glass case full of yummy pies and cakes to take away as well. Wouldn’t this be lovely in there? 🙂
    I’ve have some unfortunate pie work this week myself, but a few successes as well. This looks like one to try next time for sure!

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  11. I love lemon meringue pie too but my Archie won’t eat any dessert with lemon in it. When I was little I used to hunt out the half-used cans of condensed milk in the fridge and with a spoon I’d lower the level. I love how you piped the meringue xx

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    • What is it that just draws kids (and adults!) to those cans of goodness? (especially the half full ones in the fridge). Sure, it’s probably the sugar but there is a little something else as well, I’m sure of it.

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  12. i have recollections of getting into my grans’ fridge and secretly squeezing out a worm of condensed milk from the tube she always kept there so i think i was destined for lemon meringue pie too..your recipe looks amazing and there’d be no issue of weeping meringue..my daughter alexandra would be very very happy if i made it for her birthday dinner this week..x

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    • Jane I wished you lived closer, I’m sure you are a kindred spirit. I did the tube too from Nana’s fridge. I’d squeeze it out like tooth paste onto my finger, every time I pretty much walked by that fridge.
      Definitely no weeping from the Italian meringue as that was always a part I could never stop using regular meringue. I hope she has a lovely birthday!

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  13. I finally get it! Italian meringue is what I call cooked fluffy icing. I couldn’t figure out why your meringue wasn’t browned- and now I just think you are a genius!
    Thank you Brydie, my husband doesn’t really like any pie but pumpkin- but I love lemon meringue and this is what I’m making NEXT!!!

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  14. I love lemon meringue pie too and I love condensed milk so this sounds delicious…….but I wonder about the raw eggs in both the filling and the meringue with all the scares one hears about salmonella. Personally I decided some time ago to not eat raw eggs in things like cheesecakes and only eat cooked cheesecakes, so although this sounds great I don’t think I would make it. Whisking the lemon mixture for a couple of minutes over medium heat doesn’t sound enough to cook/sterilize it, and I’m not sure if the 120 degree sugar solution is enough to cook the whites. What do other people think? Am I being too fussy?
    David

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    • David trust me I have big issues with raw egg. BIG. I never eat chocolate mousse for that reason. The lemon mixture is cooked, and you could cook it a little longer if you wanted (just don’t turn it to caramel.) The Italian Meringue for me feels more cooked than regular meringue used on Lemon Meringue Pie. You don’t get any of that ‘eggy flavour’ that the regular ones might have from the lightly cooked meringue. Maybe read up on this method and see if that puts your mind at ease at all? As I said to Heidi in the comments as well, you could also cook the meringue just a little in the oven after doing the sugar syrup if you wanted it slightly coloured and ease any raw egg fussiness 🙂

      Oh plus I only use super fresh free range eggs!

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  15. Me too, desert menues are so much more interesting! Plus it totally makes you decide whether to take entree and main or main and desert 😉 Nicolas loves meringue pie, and so I will have to try and make yours one special day! xx

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  16. I am not at all that kinda girl.
    I’m savoury all the way.
    But the rest of my gang are sweeeeeeeeeet!!
    And they would adore this.
    So I’d better get my hands on some lemons and get to work.
    Have a happy week my friend.
    We’ve just decided to take another day and head to Melbs for an adventure. xx

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  18. It looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it out. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful recipes Brydie. I LOVE the chia cookies. My fussy little 3 yr old who’ll only eat white things at the moment asked me what I was eating in the car & actually ate one. I couldn’t believe it. There’s hope for her yet. X Sunitra

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  19. Brydie, I use a similar meringue topping to your former blogging recipe. Did you ever have a problem with liquid seeping or weeping (not sure) from out of the meringue? I generally notice it the next day and am constantly moping up with paper towelling while the meringue shrinks on top. It’s a funny thing. And what about the Italian meringue recipe; any sign of weeping there? Thanks – would really like to know. BTW – your pie looks ‘to die for’.

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    • Hello lovely, I owe you the biggest email, but a quick reply will have to do for now.
      I remember reading once how to stop that weeping but no idea where I read it and what the trick was…so that’s not particularly helpful. The weeping used to annoy me as well, as mine would always do it.
      With the Italian Meringue however? Nothing, not a whisker. The next day still looked exactly the same as in the pictures. I’d be honoured one day if the Queen of Baking ever tried my version 🙂

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      • Looks like I’d better have a crack then with the Italian Meringue Topping. Sometime this winter when you least expect; I’ll surprise you and boy will I be happy if it looks anything like yours. Till then stay out of the grave and above ground – please!!

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  21. There’s something about a meringue-topped pie that looks so very special. When that pie is lemon, it’s the best. You, though, went even further. Topping the cake with piped meringue mounds makes a special cake into one “to die for” — and I haven’t even tasted it yet. 🙂

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  22. Oh, I’m totally all about the Dessert Menu!! This must be fantastic, I’m just looking at your ingredients and anything with condensed milk is a keeper! I also think you’ve done such a pretty job with the meringue piping.. that’s really unique! xx

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  25. Ooh that is quite different from the recipe I do. I have never come across a condensed milk version of this. It looks so pretty and sounds beautifully simple. Love the piped top !

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  26. Ok, this is the second time in ten minutes you are making me drool with your photographs of gorgeous looking desserts. I will definitely be trying this one this weekend at my daughters birthday party.

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  27. You mean that’s not normal behavior? 🙂
    Lovely pie indeed, I always use Italian meringue for my toppings now as it’s so stable. We really don’t have to much trouble with raw eggs here, but this is an easy remedy if you’re concerned- and yummy too!

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  28. I love lemon meringue filling with condensed milk Brydie, my Aunty used to make it all the time. Love the pictures and love the thought of you squeezed up against the dessert cabinet. Ill meet you there!

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  33. OMGosh I just made this, but used organic raw sugar in the meringue (it’s all I have in cupboard!) and it gave it the most beeeeeootiful caramel flavor. The only problem being…will it last overnight for my Dad’s birthday tomorrow?? :/

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  37. I made your meringue pie and it was delicious!! Although I did have some trouble with the italian meringue the sugar crystalized again when it turned cold. I followed your instructions perfectly and I even used a thermometer however I did use crystal sugar. Should I have used icing sugar instead?

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    • There is an excellent bakery in England owned and run by a very flamboyant young French chef. He has a series of YouTube videos on making all kinds of fancy cakes, desserts and breads and this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fudxPz__Ks8&feature=relmfu includes the French way of making Italian meringue. The weights and temperatures are all metric so when he says to heat the sugar solution to 121 that is degrees C. The equivalent in Fahrenheit is 248 deg F. This may be your problem. The meringue comes about half way through the video.
      David

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