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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