Lemon Meringue Pie
This recipe makes either 6 small pies with a diameter of 10 cm or one large pie with a diameter of 22 cm for about 10 people.
Lemon meringue pie is... my absolute favorite cake. I just love it. Crispy shortcrust pastry, tart yet round and rich lemon curd, topped with the sweet, creeping meringue with the slightly burnt surface. It makes my knees go weak at the knees just talking about it.
It seems like a somewhat laborious affair because there are three elements, and well, each element has the potential to go horribly wrong, but not if the baking gods are with you. And if you follow the recipe step-by-step, it's easy peasy and actually takes very little time to complete.
I always use a perforated pie tin with a loose bottom because I think it gives the best result e.g. the most crunchy crust and it's easier to get it out of the mold. You can also use a perforated baking ring.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Preparation: 30 minutes Cooling and cooking: 1h. 30 minutes Total: >2 h.
Ingredients
This recipe makes either 6 small pies with a diameter of 10 cm or one large pie with a diameter of 22 cm for about 10 people.
Shortcrust pastry:
50 g tapioca flour (or potato flour)
100 g brown rice flour + extra for rolling out.
50 g icing sugar
A little flake salt
80 g cold butter
1 egg M/L
Method:
Mix all the dry ingredients
Cut the cold butter into cubes.
Crumble the butter into the flour.
Assemble the dough with the egg - whisk the egg together and add it a little at a time so the dough doesn't get too wet.
I always assemble the dough with my hands.
Let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 min. before rolling it out to 2-3 mm. Thickness and spread into the greased pie tins.
Blind bake the pie crust at 180 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Remove what makes the pies blind and bake for another 4 min. until the tart bases have a little color.
Finally, roll out the rest of your shortcrust pastry and poke them out with your favorite cutter. Bake them for 5-8 min. and voila, you have a little cookie for your coffee or while you wait.
Lemon curd:
3 dL Lemon Curd
2 sheets of gelatine
Heat the lemon curd to a maximum of 80 degrees and stir in the soaked gelatine.
Of course, I encourage you to make your own lemon curd, but you can also just buy a jar.
If you do make it yourself, here's a recipe that fits the pies here.
2,3 dL lemon juice + freshly grated zest to taste
3 eggs
200 g. sugar
100 g. butter in cubes
Whisk the lemon juice, zest, eggs and sugar together in a saucepan and heat over low heat to 65 degrees.
At 65 degrees, add the butter cubes a little at a time. And turn the heat up to medium.
While whisking constantly, heat to 75 degrees.
Soak the gelatine in cold water.
When your curd has reached 75 degrees and has a delicious, creamy consistency, stir in the gelatine.
Strain the curd through a fine mesh sieve.
Pour the lemon curd into the cold or slightly chilled (just not piping hot) pie crusts.
Refrigerate the pies.
Meringue:
0,5 dL water
200 g sugar
100 g egg white
A pinch of salt
0,5 dL lemon juice
Method:
Boil water and sugar into a syrup. When the temperature reaches 118 degrees, it's ready.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Pour the 118 degree syrup into your stiff egg whites. Pour in a thin stream while whisking. Whisk for 12-15 min. at full speed. Finally, add salt and lemon juice.
Place the meringue in a piping bag and decorate the pies however you like. You can also just smear it on with a spoon for a careless look.
Bake the pies one last time in a preheated oven at 250 degrees until they become browned. The process is fast, so keep an eye on the oven constantly. You can also use a Crème Brûlée burner.
Tips and storage:
〰️ You can easily make your pies the day before, but you can also serve them warm.
〰️ For a more casual look, you can spread your meringue with a spoon. For a fancier look, use a piping bag with a star tip.
〰️ For Halloween, I like to decorate with little ghosts. I make them by using a “cream puff nozzle” and piping a small cream puff to which I add sugar eyes (you can buy them at Panduro Hobby, for example).
〰️ The pies are suitable for freezing, but without the meringue.
〰️ I always make a big batch of lemon curd while I'm at it, and then I freeze it so I always have enough for a spontaneous Lemon Meringue Pie.
