Lemon Meringue Pie
If I go out to eat and there is Lemon Meringue Pie on the menu I will always order it. I just can’t stay away. I don’t know if it is the tangy tartness of the the lemon or the sweetness of the soft and fluffy meringue or the combination of both…
My memory of this pie, which makes me laugh now, is not of a single occasion or celebration, but rather, the struggle between me, the pie and the oven. This struggle was to get the highest possible meringue. I remember standing in front of the oven watching in delight as it rose to great height. Later I was usually absolutely gutted when it was cooling, seeing it slowly “settle” at somewhat lesser heights.
A challenge I was determined not to lose
At the time I saw the height of meringue as a challenge and one I was determined not to lose. Success, or so I thought, was linked to the height of the meringue. I spent many hours trying many different techniques to get that meringue perfect. Little did I realise at the time that the sheer joy is actually just in the pie itself. It is in the combination of flavours, the silky smoothness of the filling and the light fluffiness of the meringue and not in the appearance of the pie. Which one you choose is up to you but for the time being I am more than happy to enjoy my research.
This is why Lemon Meringue Pie is one of my absolute favourites. It is also the reason I just had to share it with all of you. So why don’t you try it for yourself and drop me a comment to tell me if you love it.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Equipment
- 1 Pie Dish
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Kitchen Mixer/ Hand Mixer
- 2 Spatula Spoons
- Measuring Spoons
- Cup Measures
Ingredients
- 1 375g Tin of Condensed Milk Freshly squeezed is best taking care to strain the juice first.
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 2 Egg Whites
- ½ Cup Lemon Juice 125ml
- 2 Tbsp Castor Sugar
- 1 Tart Shell See Note 1.
Instructions
- In one bowl mix the tin of Condensed Milk, lemon juice and egg yolks.
- Make sure the mixture is well blended.
- Pour into the tart/biscuit shell.
- Beat egg whites in a separate bowl and add 2 Tbsp castor sugar.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add to the tart/biscuit shell on top of the Condensed Milk mixture. .
- Bake at 175°C or 350F until golden brown, usually about 30 minutes.
- Leave to cool and refrigerate until you want to serve.
Notes
- You can also crush some biscuits such Marie biscuits but I find Ginger Nut biscuits works brilliantly and complements the sweetness of the meringue and the tartness of the lemon very well. See Basic Biscuit Base recipe.
- It is very important to make sure before you begin beating that no part of the egg yolks is in the egg whites otherwise it will not beat properly.
If you enjoyed this recipe check out some of my other recipes in the Recipes section on my blog page. I’m always adding delicious new family recipes.
