The Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Good just keeps getting better — and better gets best. That is just what’s happened to the classic lemon meringue pie recipe. Now it has the ultimate flaky pastry and tangy lemon filling under a dazzling cloud of fluffy meringue that’s either swirled into a spiral or puffed into peaks.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup each cold butter and shortening, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp lemon juice
Ice water

Filling:

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup lemon juice 125 mL
3 tbsp butter

Meringue:

5 egg whites, at room
temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup instant dissolving (fruit/berry) sugar

Directions:

1. In bowl, mix flour with salt. Using pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and shortening until in fine crumbs with a few larger pieces. In liquid measure, beat egg yolk with lemon juice; beat in enough ice water to make 1/3 cup (75 mL). Drizzle over dry ingredients, stirring briskly with fork until ragged dough forms. Press into disc; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes or for up to 3 days.

2. On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness; fit into 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate. Trim edge to 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang; fold under and flute edge. Line with foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in bottom third of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Prick shell all over; bake for 10 minutes or until evenly golden. Let cool on rack.

3. Filling: In heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt; stir in water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk one-quarter into egg yolks; whisk back into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon rind, lemon juice and butter. Set aside.

4. Meringue: In bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until stiff glossy peaks form.

5. Pour filling into cooled crust, smoothing top. Starting at edge and using spatula, spread meringue around outside of hot filling, sealing to crust, which prevents meringue from shrinking.

6. Spread over remaining filling, making attractive peaks with back of spoon. Bake in centre of 400ºF (200ºC) oven for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden. Let cool on rack for about 5 hours or until set.