🍋🥧 Lemon meringue pie
A perfect lemon meringue pie balances three layers: a crisp crust, a bright tangy lemon filling, and a light, fluffy meringue that’s toasted on top.
🧾 Ingredients
🥧 Crust
- 1 pie crust (homemade or store-bought, pre-baked)
🍋 Lemon filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- 3 egg yolks
- 2–3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
☁️ Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tsp cream of tartar (optional, stabilizes meringue)
- ½ tsp vanilla
👩🍳 How to make it
1. Prepare the lemon filling
- In a saucepan, mix sugar + cornstarch + water
- Cook over medium heat until thickened
- Temper in egg yolks (add a little hot mixture first, then combine)
- Stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest
- Cook until smooth and thick
- Pour into pre-baked crust
2. Make the meringue
- Beat egg whites until foamy
- Add cream of tartar
- Gradually add sugar while beating
- Whip until stiff glossy peaks form
- Add vanilla
3. Assemble
- Spread meringue over hot filling (seal edges to crust)
- Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 10–15 minutes
- Until top is lightly golden
4. Cool
- Let cool completely before slicing
- This helps filling set properly
🍽️ What makes it “perfect”
- Filling: smooth, tangy, not too sweet
- Crust: firm and not soggy
- Meringue: fluffy, lightly toasted, no weeping
💡 Pro tips
- Spread meringue on hot filling to prevent separation
- Don’t overbake (causes watery meringue)
- Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor
- Chill after cooling for clean slices
If you want, I can show you:
- a no-fail meringue technique (bakery-style)
- or a no-bake lemon version without eggs
