Name: Lemon Meringue Pie
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Kiwi
Ingredients: 1 x pack sweet shortcrust pastry, chilled (400g); 1 cup water (250ml); 1 cup sugar (225g); 2 Tbsp flour; 3 Tbsp cornflour; 1 Tbsp lemon zest; 1⁄2 cup lemon juice (125ml); 4 egg yolks; 40g butter; 4 egg whites; 1⁄3 cup caster sugar (75g); 1 Tbsp cornflour

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An absolutely delicious Lemon meringue pie made with homemade lemon curd and light meringue. Perfect for a dinner party.

Hey I'm Grace! I'm one of Vanya's sisters and I love baking. She's asked me to contribute some of my favourite recipes to the website which is so exciting.
I'm a qualified chef and have worked in kitchens in New Zealand and overseas. I have even had my own dessert caravan which was super fun, I hope you enjoy my recipes!

If you're looking for an impressive dessert or morning tea treat, look no further than my Lemon Meringue Pie.

I love the combination of buttery pastry, tangy lemon curd and meringue. This is one of my absolute favourite desserts.

Ingredients for Lemon Meringue Pie laid out on a bench.

There's no need to be intimated by the meringue in this dessert. Further down I have written tips and tricks to help you with this part of the process.

How to make Lemon Meringue Pie:

Preheat the oven to 170°C. On a floured bench top, roll the pastry out then line your tart tin (or tins). Prick all over with a fork then chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Blind bake the tart for 20 minutes, removing the weights/raw rice after 10 minutes so the base can brown.

To make the curd, combine the water, sugar, flours, lemon zest and juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat.

Add 1 cup of the hot lemon mix to the egg yolks and mix quickly. Pour the yolks into the pot and whisk. Return the pot to the heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add the butter, stir, then remove from the heat.

Mix the egg whites and cornflour together until foamy. Add the sugar one spoonful at a time whisking in between. Whip until the meringue forms stiff peaks.

To assemble, pour the hot lemon curd into the tart case. Top with meringue starting on the pastry edge and working your way into the centre.

Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack, then pop in the fridge to cool for a few hours before cutting.

I love show stopping desserts! Check out my awesome Baked Raspberry Cheesecake, Chocolate Tart and Huge Berry Pavlova.

Common questions and tips for Lemon Meringue Pie:

What does it mean to 'temper the egg yolks'? Tempering is a process where you are combining two liquids of different temperatures but you don't want them to curdle or cook. If you poured the egg yolks straight into the hot pot they would cook. By removing some of the hot liquid and mixing it into the eggs first, you are slowly warming up the yolks.

Can this tart be made in a round tin? Yes! The recipe notes will talk you through cooking this in a round tin. Or if you prefer, you can make mini lemon meringue pies in smaller tart tins.

TIPS

To ensure you get the fluffiest meringue possible, you must use a super clean bowl to mix in. Fat or grease (or even a little egg yolk) changes the chemistry of the egg white and it just won't whip up as well.
To stop the meringue from shrinking or weeping, make it just before you top the pie and ensure the lemon mix is nice and hot. That will start the cooking from the bottom while the oven will cook it from the outside.

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Lemon Meringue Pie

Yield: serves 6-8

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 3 hours

A decadent pie made from shortcrust pastry, tangy lemon curd and a soft meringue.

Ingredients

1 x pack sweet shortcrust pastry, chilled (400g)
1 cup water (250ml)
1 cup sugar (225g)
2 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp cornflour
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1⁄2 cup lemon juice (125ml)
4 egg yolks
40g butter

Meringue

4 egg whites
1⁄3 cup caster sugar (75g)
1 Tbsp cornflour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 170°C fan bake.
Dust bench top with flour then roll pastry out into a circle. Line a 23cm round tart tin with the pastry, prick all over with a fork and chill for 10 minutes in the freezer.
Remove from the freezer, cover the pastry with baking paper then pour raw rice or baking weights over. Blind bake the tart case for 20 minutes, removing the weights after 10 minutes so the base can brown. Set aside.
Lemon curd filling: In a medium saucepan combine the water, sugar, flours, lemon zest and juice. Bring to the boil stirring constantly until thick. Take off the heat.
Place egg yolks in a bowl, then add 1 cup of the hot lemon mix. Mix quickly together, then pour the yolk mixture back into the pot and whisk through. Return to the heat and cook a few more minutes stirring continuously. Do not boil.
Add the butter, stir then remove from the heat.
Meringue: In a mixer, whisk egg whites and cornflour together till foamy. Add the sugar one spoonful at a time whisking in between. Whip until the meringue forms stiff peaks.
To assemble, pour the hot lemon curd into the tart case. Top with the meringue, starting on the pastry edge and working your way to the centre.
Bake at 170°C fan bake until meringue is golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and then pop into the fridge to cool and set for a few hours before cutting.

Notes

These instructions are for a round tart but as you can see it can easily be made into a rectangle shape like I have. Or even made into individual mini lemon meringue tarts
Raw rice or beans can be used instead of blind baking weights.
When making the meringue, make sure the bowl is completely clean. Fat or grease in the egg white will prevent it from getting super fluffy.
To prevent the meringue from shrinking or weeping, make sure you add it on to the lemon curd while it is still hot! This will start it cooking from the bottom while the oven will cook it from the outside.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 248Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 105mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 0gSugar: 35gProtein: 4g

Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.

Lemon Meringue Pie sliced on a wooden chopping board.

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Gracie's recipes

My sister Gracie is a wonderful baker and cook! She has kindly shared some of her favourite recipes with me.

Comments

lia says

September 24, 2021 at 4:02 pm

Can I make this a day In advance?

- VJ cooks says
  
  September 26, 2021 at 6:37 pm
  
  You can, however the meringue may start to 'bead' the next day. Check out the tips on preventing this though - mainly keeping the egg white pure (no yolk in it, clean bowl).
  
Petty says

December 16, 2025 at 7:48 pm

Can you make the lemon curd ahead of time, bake the pastry, make swiss meringue (so egg cooks without the oven bake) then just torch the meringue to brown/crisp off on serving day?

- VJ cooks says
  
  January 05, 2026 at 11:33 am
  
  Oh I haven't tried that but I think it would work. Let me know hoe you get on.

How to make Lemon Meringue Pie:

Common questions and tips for Lemon Meringue Pie:

Pin this post to your desserts board on Pinterest and save it for later

MADE THIS RECIPE?
PLEASE CLICK ON THE STARS BELOW AND RATE IT!