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My best lemon meringue pie

My best lemon meringue pie with a biscuit (cookie) crumb base and Italian meringue topping.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings: 8 large pie
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Pie:
  • 300 gm digestive or Marie biscuits
  • 150 gm Kerrygold butter melted or browned
  •  4 large free-range eggs separated
  •  2 x 385gm tins of condensed milk
  •  ¾ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  •  Zest from 2 lemons
Italian meringue:
  • The 4 x egg whites from the pie recipe
  • 1 cup caster sugar divided
  • 3 Tbs cup water
  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Make the pie in advance to allow cooling.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
  3. Crush the biscuits in a food processor or by hand in a zipped plastic bag and a rolling pin. Melt and brown the butter in a small pot.
  4. Add the crushed biscuits and melted butter to a bowl and mix. Tip this into a pie or tart tin about 26cm wide. Press the biscuits around to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Use a glass to press down to compress them.
  5. Make your filling by hand. Add the egg yolks, condensed milk, lemon zest, and juice to a bowl and whisk until well combined.
  6. Pour this into the biscuit base and bake for 25 minutes until set. Allow to cool and then refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.
  7. When you are ready to serve make your Italian meringue topping. Whisk your egg whites using a stand or hand-held electric beater. Make sure the bowl and whisk or squeaky clean.
  8. When the egg whites have reached the soft peak stage, slowly add half a cup of the caster sugar. Do this one tablespoon at a time until the meringue is glossy.
  9. Heat three tablespoons of water with the remaining sugar, and cream of tartar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Make sure all the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is bubbling. Pour this hot syrup into the meringue mixture in a steady slow stream while the beater is still running. Continue to beat the meringue for a further 3 – 4 minutes.
  10. Pile the meringue onto the cooled lemon pie and singe the edges with a blowtorch to brown (optional).

Notes

  • The pie can be made and baked before but it would be best to make the meringue frosting on the day you serve it.
  • Store the lemon meringue pie in a sealed container and it will keep for up to 3 days.