Pork Free Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Few desserts hit the table with quite the same drama as a towering, golden-peaked lemon meringue pie — tart, silky, and cloud-soft all in one slice. The filling is built from fresh lemon juice and zest, tempered egg yolks, and a touch of butter, giving it that glossy, intensely citrusy curd that holds its shape beautifully when you cut into it. The Italian meringue technique — pouring hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites — creates a topping that is far more stable and luscious than a standard meringue, with those gorgeous burnished peaks that hold up without weeping. Every component here, from the buttery hand-pressed crust to the cornstarch-thickened filling, is built entirely from pantry staples and fresh produce, so there's nothing hidden to worry about. This is the kind of recipe that looks like it came from a professional bakery but is completely achievable in a home kitchen with a little patience and a thermometer. Whether you use a kitchen torch or a quick pass under the broiler, that caramelized finish is the final touch that makes every slice feel like a genuine occasion.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
- 3–4 tbsp ice water
For the lemon filling
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Italian meringue
- 4 large pasteurized egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- 1
Make the crust: Whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Drizzle in 3 tbsp ice water and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together; add the fourth tablespoon only if the dough is still crumbly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, press into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Drape it over the rolling pin and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing it gently into the bottom and sides. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch, fold it under, and crimp the edge. Prick the bottom all over with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
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