Lemon Meringue Pie

Quick answer

Total time: 60 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

A blind-baked pie crust holds a tart lemon curd filling crowned by a billowy meringue that is briefly baked until its peaks turn golden.

The curd is built by cooking lemon juice, water, sugar, and cornstarch until thick, then rapidly whisking in egg yolks and finishing with butter for a glossy, velvety consistency. The filling's sharp citrus bite meets the meringue's airy sweetness in the same forkful, creating a dramatic contrast that is the hallmark of this pie. Spreading the meringue directly over the hot curd helps the two layers bond and reduces the weeping that can form between them. A short burst at 200 degrees Celsius tips each meringue peak with a gradient of caramel brown while the interior remains soft and marshmallow-like. The pie crust contributes a third texture, short and crisp, that grounds the two softer layers above it. Chilling the assembled pie before cutting produces the cleanest slices, with each layer visible in cross-section. Adding lemon zest to the curd intensifies the citrus aroma beyond what juice alone provides.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

pie crust1 eaea

lemon juice120 mlml

sugar220 gg

egg yolks4 eaea

egg whites4 eaea

cornstarch30 gg

butter40 gg

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Fit 1 pie crust snugly into the pan and tidy the edge so it holds its shape.

Blind-bake at 180C until the base looks dry and lightly colored, then let it stand while the filling is cooked.
2

Control

Combine 120 ml lemon juice, water, part of the 220 g sugar, and 30 g cornstarch in a saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns glossy and thick enough to leave tracks.
3

Heat

Lower the heat and whisk in 4 egg yolks gradually, moving quickly as they meet the hot lemon base.

Keep stirring so the yolks do not scramble, and cook only until the curd looks smooth and cohesive.
4

Heat

When the curd is thick, turn off the heat and melt in 40 g butter.

Once it looks shiny and coats the spatula heavily, pour it straight into the baked crust while still hot.
5

Season

Whip 4 egg whites, adding the remaining sugar in portions as the foam builds.

Continue until the meringue is dense, glossy, and holds firm peaks that do not bend over.
6

Control

Spread the meringue over the hot lemon curd, sealing it all the way to the crust edge to reduce moisture between layers.

Bake briefly at 200C until the peaks brown, then cool and chill before slicing cleanly.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Tart lemon curd meets golden-peaked meringue in this classic Lemon Meringue Pie recipe.
Finish cue: Continue until the meringue is dense, glossy, and holds firm peaks that do not bend over.
Avoid this: Keep stirring so the yolks do not scramble, and cook only until the curd looks smooth and cohesive.