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Slice of lemon meringue pie on a plate with the whole pie in the background on a cake stand.
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Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Prep Time30 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

Lemon Filling

  • 200 g (1 cup) Granulated Sugar, (Caster Sugar)
  • 40 g (4 tablespoon) Cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) Salt
  • 180 ml (¾ cup) Lemon Juice, juice from about 4 lemons
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) Water
  • 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) Lemon Zest
  • 6 (6) Egg Yolks
  • 113 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, cubed

Swiss Meringue

  • 6 (6) Large Egg Whites, (approx 180g) room temperature
  • 300 g (1½ cup) Granulated Sugar, (Caster Sugar)

Instructions

Before You Begin

  • If using homemade pastry, fully blind bake the pie crust or tart shell before beginning. This recipe works really nicely in a shortcrust pastry case, or a flaky pie crust.
  • The lemon filling needs time to chill and set before adding the meringue on top, so plan ahead. It's best to make the lemon filling the day before and make the meringue on the day you plan to serve the pie.

Make the Lemon Filling

  • Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan, including the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix together.
  • Add the lemon juice, water, and lemon zest and whisk everyting together until combined.
  • Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the filling becomes clear and starts to boil. Let it boil with thick bubbles bursting on the surface for 1-2 minutes. It should be glossy and very thick.
    Important Note: The filling must be actively boiling for 1-2 minutes in order to fully activate the cornstarch. If it stops bubbling when you whisk it, you can stop and start whisking every few seconds in order to let it boil.
  • In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks together. Gradually add a large spoonful of the hot lemon filling into the yolks and whisk it in, then repeat with 3-4 more spoonfuls of filling.
    It's important to do this gradually to temper the egg yolks, so they heat up gradually and don't scramble.
  • Add the remaining lemon filling into the yolks and whisk until smooth. Pour everything back into the saucepan over medium heat and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly until smooth and glossy. Don't let it boil this time.
    The filling should be thick enough that it falls from the whisk in ribbons.
  • Remove the filling from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few cubes at a time, letting it melt into the filling fully before adding the next cubes.
  • Pour the lemon filling into the baked, cooled tart shell or pie crust and smooth it out into an even layer.
    Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface, and chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Make the Swiss Meringue

  • Place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water to make a double boiler (bain-marie). Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved.
    Rub a little between your fingers - it should feel completely smooth with no grittiness at all. A thermometer is not necessary, but if you'd like to use one, the mixture should reach 160°F (71°C).
  • Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fitted. Whip on medium speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high.
    Continue whipping until the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue forms thick, glossy stiff peaks. This means that if you lift the whisk out, the peak should stand upright with just a slight curl at the tip.
    If the meringue reaches stiff peaks and the bowl is still warm - keep whipping until it is cool.

Decorate the Pie

  • Take the lemon pie out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.
    Add a little of the Swiss meringue on top of the filling and spread it out into a thin layer, making sure to go all the way to the edges to seal in the filling. This helps to prevent weeping.
  • Put the rest of the meringue on top in the middle of the pie and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it in a swooping motion to make swirls and peaks. There is no wrong way to decorate a meringue pie!
  • Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. Hold it a few inches away so the tip of the flame is just dancing on the surface of the meringue, and keep it moving in circular motions, rather than holding it in one place.
    Don't be scared to go a little darker than you think for this, you want a variety of deep toasty golden brown colour on there.
  • Serve right away and enjoy!

Notes

Ingredient Notes:

Lemons - use fresh lemons, not bottled lemon juice. 
Eggs - This recipe uses up both the egg yolk and egg whites. Use fresh eggs. It's easiest to separate the eggs while cold. But let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping them for the most volume. 
Cornstarch - Don't skip the cornstarch; this is what allows the filling to thicken. It's also vital that it is properly cooked, so pay attention to the method there. 
Pie Crust - You can use a homemade pie crust or tart case, or a store-bought one. If you don't want to blind bake it,  you can buy a pre-baked crust.