Glynne's Lemon Meringue Pie
Submitted by [email protected]
British-style lemon meringue pie with orange-scented shortcrust pastry, a cornstarch-thickened lemon curd filling, and a soft, lightly browned meringue crown. Old-fashioned and unmistakably citrusy.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
40 minREADY
100 minThis is a proper British-style lemon meringue pie, the kind that turns up at village fetes and Sunday teatime in equal measure. The shortcrust pastry has a clever twist with grated orange zest mixed into the dough, layering citrus depth that complements the lemon curd filling beneath. The curd itself uses cornstarch (cornflour, in British parlance) for body rather than a French-style egg-yolk-only custard, making the filling more robust and easier to slice without weeping.
Two technique points matter here. First, blind-bake the pastry shell with foil and baking beans before adding the filling. Skip this step and the bottom turns soggy as the lemon mixture soaks in. Second, cook the cornstarch out fully in the lemon mixture before adding the egg yolks. Undercooked starch tastes pasty and chalky. Pile the meringue on while the filling is still warm. This seals the meringue to the curd and prevents the dreaded weeping layer between them.
Pro Tips
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and zest from real lemons. Bottled juice tastes flat and bottled zest has lost its volatile oils.
- Whip the egg whites in a clean, grease-free bowl. Even a trace of fat prevents stiff peaks.
- Bake the meringue at high heat for a quick golden crust on top while the inside stays soft and pillowy.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled, not hot. Hot lemon meringue is too loose to slice properly.
Variations
- The recipe author suggests substituting orange juice and zest for the lemon for a sweeter, less tart citrus pie.
- Add a tablespoon of Limoncello or Cointreau to the filling for a boozy adult version.
- Top with toasted sliced almonds or coconut after the meringue browns for textural contrast.
Ingredients
Directions
This is enough for two bases I normally make a pear custard tart with the second base.
Rub the margarine into the flour until it’s like bread crumbs add the orange rind caster sugar and mix well.
Add the beaten egg and mix well .
60Add enough water ( give it a chance to soak in ) a tablespoon at a time to make a ball.
Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least ½ hour.
Put the juice and rind of the lemons into a measuring jug and make up to just less than half a pint with some water.
Put the cornflour into a cup and mix with a couple of tablespoons of the lemon mixture until it is smooth .
Pour the cornflour mixture and the rest of the lemon and water into a saucepan.
Heat over a medium heat stirring continuously until the mixture is thick ( it does turn out very thick but don’t worry ) and the cornflour is cooked out.
Allow to cool stirring occasionally .
Get the pastry from the fridge and roll out and line an 8 in flan case/ pie dish and prick the base with a fork.
Bake the pastry blind, lined with foil andamp; baking beans, for 15 minutes in a hot oven ( 180 to 200 C) so that it doesn’t rise too much but is golden.
Remove the base from the oven.
Separate the two eggs, retain the whites and beat the yolks into the lemon mixture until smooth.
Beat the sugar into the lemon mixture until smooth .
Fill the pastry case with the lemon mixture .
Add a tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites and whisk until it forms peaks fold in the rest of the caster sugar and pile on top of the pie.
Bake in the oven until the meringue is nicely brown .
Serve hot or cold.
I have also tried this with oranges ( made up to ½ pint with orange juice rather than water) and lemon zest in the pastry.
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