Lemon Meringue Pie

Crisp pastry, tangy lemon curd filling and a soft, golden meringue topping.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 40 min
Cook: 1h
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
Vegetarian
✅
Nuts
❌
Serves
8 people
Difficulty
Hard

Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 100g cold butter, cubed
  • 25g icing sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • Zest and juice of 3 lemons
  • 40g cornflour
  • 200g caster sugar, divided
  • 3 eggs, separated, plus 1 egg white

Method

  1. Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and icing sugar, then bind with the egg yolk and water. Chill for 30 minutes.

  2. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan)/gas 5. Roll out the pastry, line a 23cm tart tin, prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for 5 minutes more.

  3. Blend the cornflour with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, then add the rest of the juice, zest and 300ml water to a pan with 75g sugar. Cook, stirring, until thick. Off the heat, beat in the 3 egg yolks, then pour into the pastry case.

  4. Reduce the oven to 160°C (140°C fan)/gas 3. Whisk the 4 egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time until glossy.

  5. Spoon the meringue over the filling, sealing to the edges, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden. Cool for 20 minutes before serving.