Lemon Meringue Pie
This is our famous recipe that results in the pie for all true lovers of Lemon Meringue Pie. It appears in an article featuring lemon pie recipes.
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 3 eggs, separated
- zest from 1 medium lemon
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (juice from 1-1/2 medium lemons)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 baked, cooled 9-inch pie shell
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine the sugar, flour, salt and water in a heavy saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Boil, stirring constantly and vigorously, for 1 minute. (A long-handled spoon to stir with really helps here to get you back from the heat.) Remove from heat.
- Slightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl with a fork. Mix about one-third of the boiled mixture with the egg yolks; then pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pan with the boiled ingredients, and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly and, again, vigorously. Remove from heat, and add the butter.
- Add the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir to mix thoroughly.
- Pour into cooled, baked 9-inch pie crust and top with meringue (recipes follow), sealing meringue to edge of pastry. Bake in a 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned.
- Makes one pie.
Meringue
- 3 egg whites, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Beat the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. With mixer running, add the cream of tartar, then gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla.
Pile atop pie, and bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Note: Unlike many lemon meringue pie recipes, ours does not use corn starch nor sweetened condensed milk. The flour gives it a smoother texture.
Be sure to seal the meringue to the pastry edge when spreading it on your pie. To minimize "weeping", spread the meringue on the pie filling while the filling is hot. Also, remember that meringue pies cut better with a wet knife blade. We talk more in depth about the meringue for this recipe in our post Secrets to Good Meringue.
Ready in: 50 Min