Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie is surely my all-time-favorite dessert.  I love this just because it has all the balanced combinations.  This lemony bliss consists of three delicate layers of heaven.  Each layer gives different texture and flavor.  The flaky buttery crust base brings something to chew.  The fresh citrusty lemon filling is so velvety smooth and creamy, while packs with real punch of sourness and tartness from lemon.  For the meringue on top, it has billowy and toasty touch.  The sweetness from the meringue definitely balances out the sour taste from lemon curd.  So what's not to love?

Let's start with the base.  I have been sticking with this pie crust recipe ever since I discovered it.  In the past, I always cheated the pie base by using crumbed Ritz crackers with added melted butter.  I won't put so much description for this base recipe in this post because it is exactly the same with the previous one. (please check this one out, pumpkin pie)

While waiting for my pie base to bake, I prepare my curd.  Bring to boil: water, sugar, salt, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Once it got thicken, reduce the heat and drop egg yolks in - one at a time - still keep stirring.  Becareful that egg can be curdling when cook too quick or too long.  Then remove them from the heat and add in your butter cubes and lemon zest.  Stir well until all butter has melted and they all are well combined. 

By then your pie shell is definitely ready.  So pour all your lemon curd into pre-baked shell.  Then set them aside for now.  Do not keep the filling in the fridge as we want it to stay hot when we top it with meringue.  This can help reducing the chance of meringue to collapse.  Also, the heat from filling will instantly cook the bottom part of meringue, make it much less likely to shrink.  

After that, prepare your meringue.  It is very simple and easy.  In a clean and dry bowl, whisk your egg whites until slightly foamy then gradually add the sugar as well as cream of tartar.  Continue beating for a few more minutes, until glossy and stiff peaks form. 

Where cream of tartar is not available, you can replace it with ½ teaspoon of lemon juice.  

Flip over head test

In the meantime, pre-heat the oven to 190 degree celcius.  Then pipe or spoon the meringue mixture over the top while the filling is still hot.  Any looks from the traditional mounting and spiky to the fancy kisses shapes, whatsoever, making sure that meringue should completely cover until the crust edge.  This will allow the meringue to hold onto the crust so the two do not separate. 

Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the peak has the nice golden color.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before chilling it for couple more hours in the fridge. For slicing the pie, use the knife that has been dipped in hot water to prevent the meringue from collapsing when we slice it. This lemon meringue delight could be store up to three days in the refrigerator before it goes watery and wilted. But I do not think it will last that long anyway.

Pie Base Recipe Plain flour 1½ cups Caster sugar 2 tbsp Chilled butter, chopped 120 gr Water 2 tsp I like to add a pinch of salt (optional) Method 1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a food processor     and process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.     You can knead the base using hand, if processor is not available 2. Add water and pulse to combine. 3. Gently knead until smooth. 4. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 5.  Roll out the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to line      a deep 9" pie tin with removable base.  Or just using hand. 6. Prick well with a fork. 7. Bake in preheated 190⁰C oven for 10 minutes.     Pie weights are not necessary

  

Lemon Curd Filling and Meringue Recipe For the lemon filling Egg yolks 4 large eggs Cornstarch 3 tbsp Water 60 ml Sugar 120 gr Salt ¼ tsp Butter 5 tbsp Lemon juice ½ cup Lemon zest 1 tbsp For the meringue topping Egg white 4 large eggs Caster sugar 8 tbsp Cream of tartar 1 pinch (½ tsp of lemon juice can be used instead of cream of tartar)   Method 1. Prepare your crust base. 2. In a pot, combine water, cornstarch, sugar, salt and lemon juice     bring to boil. 3. Reduce the heat and add in egg yolks one at a time while keep stirring. 4. Remove from heat and add in butter cubes and lemon zest. 5. Stir until butter melted and well combined. Pour onto your pre-baked shell. 6. Preheat the oven to 190⁰C 7. Make the meringue by beating egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar.     Until glossy and stiff peaks form.  8. Spoon or pipping the meringue on top of the hot lemon filling.     Cover all of the filling.  It allows the meringue to hold onto the crust     So the two do not separate. 9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the peak turns golden. 10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Then chill it in the fridge for       couple of hours before slicing and serving.