Lemon Cream Meringue Pie
Ingredients
1 blind baked Best Flaky Pie Crust
Lemon Cream Filling
- Zest of 4 lemons
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ⅔ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, about 4–6 small lemons
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 heaping cup sour cream
Meringue
- 6 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- Pinch salt
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Lemon Cream Filling Instructions
- Zest 4 lemons into a medium saucepan. Add the sugar and use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar. This helps release the natural oils in the zest and adds extra flavor to the filling. Add the milk and set aside while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Juice lemons into a bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
- In a medium heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Heat the milk, lemon zest, and sugar over medium heat, while whisking, until the mixture begins to steam and the sugar has just dissolved. Do not bring to a boil.
- Slowly add a few spoonfuls of the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Continue adding the warm milk until it has all been incorporated. This process, called tempering, gradually warms the eggs and helps prevent them from scrambling.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and whisk in the fresh lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Once bubbling, continue whisking for 1 additional minute before removing from heat.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Pour the lemon filling through the strainer, using a rubber spatula to gently press it through. Scrape the underside of the strainer to collect all of the filling.
- Add the sour cream and gently fold until completely incorporated.
- Pour the lemon cream filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, until completely set.
Meringue Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler or a medium metal mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and salt.
- Place the bowl over a saucepan containing about 2 inches of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers. The goal is to gently warm the egg whites and dissolve the sugar without cooking the eggs.
- Remove the bowl from the heat. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes before whipping.
- Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until medium peaks form - about 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and continue beating until firm, glossy peaks form - another 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pie. Spoon the meringue over the lemon filling, spreading it all the way to the edges of the crust to seal. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative swirls and peaks.
- Place the pie on the upper-middle rack, several inches below the broiler. Broil with the door slightly ajar, watching constantly. When the tips of the meringue are toasted and golden, remove from the oven and place on counter.
- This pie can be served immediately, or lightly covered and refrigerated for a couple hours until served.
Notes
We recommend filling the pie crust and refrigerating the day before serving to ensure the lemon filling has set.
For best results, make and add the meringue the day of serving.
Do not leave the pie at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
The finished pie will keep in the refrigerator, covered with a foil tent, for 2-3 days.
What is tempering?
Tempering is the process of slowly adding a warm liquid to eggs while whisking constantly. This gradually raises the temperature of the eggs and helps prevent them from scrambling when added to a hot mixture. This process is often used in making custards, puddings and cream fillings.