How Do You Get The Perfect Toast On The Meringue
There are a couple different options for toasting your meringue on top of your pie. I used a baking torch, I feel like such a professional using it and it gets the job done really fast. Another option is using the broiler in the oven, this will take a little longer but works just as well. If you choose to use the broiler it is very important to keep an eye on the pie, even leaving the pie for a minute could burn the meringue. You can also use a lighter but this may result in an unpleasant taste in your meringue.
Making And Blind Baking The Crust
Our sweet sugar cookie crust is so good and makes this lemon meringue pie sooo good. This sugar cookie crust recipe is the same one we use for fruit tarts!
When making this crust youll cream together butter, sugar, and egg for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add in your vanilla, salt, almond extract, and flour, until just combined. Divide the dough in half, press the dough into your pie dish, and freeze for 20 minutes!
This sugar cookie crust recipe makes enough for 2 crusts, so if you are only making 1 pie, feel free to follow our instructions below to freeze it!
Blind Baking
Blind baking is where you bake your crust without filling. We want to weigh down the crust so that it does not slump or shrink when it bakes. Youll want to line your crust with a large piece of foil or parchment paper then fill it with either pie weights, dry beans, or granulated sugar . If you use dry beans, do not try to cook them later on. bag them up and use them again for blind baking! If you use granulated sugar you can still reuse the sugar in your baking, just make sure you cool it before using it or placing it a container.
Or you can purchase pie weights like these one from Amazon and they can be used over and over again for years to come!
Freeze it for the future
If you are freezing one of your crusts for the future follow these instructions!
Whats The First Thing You Think Of When I Say Summer What About Your Childhood Summers Is There Some Thing Some Memory That Really Sticks Out For You For Me On Both Counts Its Fruit None More So Then When Those Gorgeous Fruits Are Baked Into A Delicious Pie Like My Gluten Free Lemon Meringue Pie
Yeah, kind of weird I guess. To me though summer means its time for delicious, juicy fruits and colourful fruit salads and the smell alone can completely take me to another place and time. Its not even a particular kind of fruit either, though some of my strongest memories are of my great grandparents bringing huge trays of fresh peaches and apricots home from their travels up north.
Now, the minute the weather starts to warm up, I keep an eye out for all kinds of glorious fruit. I just love bringing it all home and figuring out what Im going to do with it too. Just imagine all the things you can create. Fruit smoothies that are every colour under the sun, fruit salads for breakfast. Why not use them as toppings for cheesecakes or better yet, freshly barbecued with a dollop of vanilla bean ice cream. Mmmmm, delicious!
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Prepare The Pie Crust Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour and sugar until fully combined. Add chilled coconut oil and cut the coconut oil into the flour . Youll get an off-white crumbly mixture with the texture of coarse sand. Add the beaten egg and mix well. The mixture will still be crumbly, but will be slightly pale yellow now. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a spoon until you get a dough that holds together .
There Is One Fruit Though That Just Screams Summer Lemonsand No I Dont Mean In A Gin & Tonic Wait Do I
Yes I know, thats not entirely accurate since lemons arent technically in season at this time of year. But there is something about balmy summer days that make me crave an ice cold Gin and Tonic with a big wedge of lemon. Or better yet, that classic dessert, Lemon Meringue Pie.
I have to admit, I havent made a lemon meringue pie in a very long time, much to my husbands dismay. Of course it was made just that little bit harder when I found out I was gluten intolerant several years ago.
So it was whilst considering what to serve at a small family gathering, that I decided I just had to try my hand at it again. But this time with a twist! Naturally I didnt want to spend hours in the kitchen attempting to get that ever elusive gluten free pastry to work. Youre with me right? Yes I couldve used store bought, but I really wanted to make something a little bit different this time.
Imagine this, a beautiful zesty lemon curd, smothered in pillows of soft meringue and encased in a crunchy, coconut base. Sounds pretty good right?! Not only is it good, or shall I say, insanely delicious, but its also easy as. well, pie!
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Whats In Lemon Meringue Pie
I love this recipe for the best lemon meringue pie because you can make it with ingredients you probably have on hand. You dont need anything exotic, but you do need some fresh lemons. Fresh lemons taste better than bottled lemon juice, but in a pinch, that will work too. Soon you will be preparing the perfect lemon meringue pie.
You will need a baked pie shell and for the filling egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest. The meringue recipe for pie calls for egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar.
Heres a list of what you will need:
- Pie crust you only need a single shell pie crust
- Eggs I use large sized eggs
- Salt table salt or kosher salt will work
- Cornstarch
- Fresh lemons the fresher the better! Fresh lemon juice really makes a difference. You can make this with Meyer lemons if you desire.
- Butter I have used both salt and unsalted butter with good results.
- Sugar
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Best Lemon Meringue Pie To Buy
by John Kanell
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This zingy lemon meringue pie rests in a crisp and flakey homemade butter crust and has a mound of light as air Italian meringue on top making for an easy to make but very special treat!
This pie is a lemon-lovers dream come true! Tons of zing and a perfect balance of sweetness and textures in each bite. I loved this recipe with a homemade butter crust but you can make a crushed cookie or nut crust if desired. The contrast of CRISP butter crust and soft zingy filling is just great. If you dont love meringue you can always top with a big mound of whipped cream instead!
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When Life Gives Your Lemons
The saying goes that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade .
But when you spend as much time baking and cooking as I do, I prefer to say that when life gives you lemons, you make a variety of lemon desserts such as this creamy lemon curd, this easy lemon yogurt cake, or this no-bake lemon cheesecake.
And for the icing on the top, I say, go for a rich, decadent lemon meringue pie befitting of all special occasions worth celebrating.
Its All In The Filling
Granted, there should be a generous depth of meringue on top, but its the filling thats the star of a lemon meringue pie: for me it has to be lip-puckeringly sharp with a real bitter kick to balance the sweet lusciousness of the meringue.
Grans trick was to use whole lemons pith, peel and all
Gran would blitz some of the whole lemons to a pulp which she then sieved to press out as much of the bitter lemony flavour for the base of the filling. The result is an intensely lemony curd, with layers of sharp, sour and bitter: as it should be to my mind!
Using only the lemon juice and zest, as most recipes do, does not give the intensity the filling should have in my opinion.
In the interests of not wasting anything, I add the blitzed lemon pulp that is left in the sieve to a jug of water and keep it in the fridge for wonderfully refreshing lemony water.
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How To Prevent Your Egg Whites From Weeping
Weeping refers to the layer of moisture that forms between the meringue and the filling after chilling, and no one wants a slice of sad, watery pie! Heres how to keep your meringue from weeping.
- Dont overbake the meringue! Overbaking makes the egg whites shrink and squeeze out droplets of moisture.
- Undissolved sugar in the egg whites may also lead to weeping. Mix the egg whites and sugar at a low speed until the mixture feels perfectly smooth .
Tip: Use superfine caster sugar it dissolves more quickly than regular sugar.
- Prepare the meringue before the pie filling, so its ready to spread while the filling is still hot. Heat from the filling will cook the meringue onto the filling, making it less likely to shrink or leak.
- Make sure the meringue is completely sealed to the edge of the pie .
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What Is Lemon Meringue Pie
Basically speaking, the name gives it away. Lemon meringue pie is literally a dessert pie made with a short crust pastry crust, filled with a rich and creamy citrus lemon curd, and then topped with airy, light meringue.
Originating in Philadelphia during the Victorian-era, lemon meringue pie was invented by Elizabeth Goodfellow, the owner of a pastry shop and Americas first cooking school for young ladies. Since then, this pie has become a super popular dessert that is perfect for the spring season, but honestly you can even enjoy it all-year-round. While it does require quite a few steps to make , I honestly think its one the best lemon desserts you could make to celebrate any special occasion .
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What To Serve With Gluten Free Pie
My grandmother was adamant about serving Lemon Angle Pie all on its own.
If its your first time tasting this classic gluten free pie recipe we do suggest enjoying your first fork full all on its own. Youll taste creamy and cold whipped cream, tart lemon curd and a crunchy and chewy meringue crust.
I love serving Lemon Angel Pie with fresh summer berries, simple cookies like shortbread or a scoop of lemon or vanilla ice cream.
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How Do You Keep Lemon Meringue Pie From Weeping
If you find your meringue often weeps there are a couple of things that could be causing this. In my experience, the most common problem is that I got impatient and adding the sugar too quickly so it didnt dissolve all the way while I was making the meringue. Try adding just a tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites at a time, waiting about 20 seconds between each addition so that the sugar has a chance to completely dissolve.
My other best tips and tricks for a perfect meringue is to make sure to place it on the filling while the filling is still hot and really be sure to press that meringue against the edges of the pie crust so it can seal the filling beneath. If you leave gaps, the meringue doesnt have anything to cling to and has a tendency to want to shrink in on itself.
Finally, if you are stilling having issues with weeping meringue, it could be that you live in a more humid climate, which I have heard can be the culprit in a lot of other desserts that involve beaten egg whites. Try making this pie on dry days rather than when its damp outside.
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How Can You Blind Bake A Pie Crust Without Weights
You can purchase pie weights, little ceramic or metal balls designed especially for the purpose of holding down a pie shell during blind baking. You donât need them, though. In fact, I prefer to use dried beans as pie weights. With beans, you can use as many as necessary to completely fill up the pie crust. I have found in the past that my purchased pie weights werenât enough to fill up the pie shell as much as Iâd like.
Does Cheesecake Factory Bake Their Cheesecakes
They arent made in-house. In case the name didnt give it away, Cheesecake Factory desserts arent exactly baked mom-and-pop style. All of the decadent cheesecakes are put together by baking teams in Calabasas Hills, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina, before being frozen and shipped all over the country.
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Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
This is the perfect lemon meringue pie! With a delicious homemade pie crust, tart and smooth lemon filling, and a fluffy toasted meringue topping, its impossible to resist.
I write this as snow falls outside and winds whip around my house at 50 mph. Despite the current weather conditions, the calendar says spring and Easter are on the horizon. And as someone who lives and breathes her daily planner, that means its time to prepare for the change of seasons. Close up that fireplace, place some tulips in a vase, open those windows whoa that wind! Lets keep them closed!
Lets welcome a fresh new season with a fresh new pie the pie Ive been taunting you with for weeks!! The beautiful, the timeless, the Classic Lemon Meringue Pie.
My lemon meringue pie recipe has a billowy and toasty meringue topping, a balanced sweet/tart lemon filling, and an extra thick and flaky pie crust. I worked on this recipe for a long time, making at least a dozen meringue pies in the past few months. Both my kitchen and head were exploding lemons. Whenever we had friends or family stop by, Id force lemon meringue pie on them. PLEASE TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS I begged while barely blinking.
Tips On Making Gluten Free Pie
Now that youve familiarized yourself with the science behind lemon curd and meringue youre ready to make our favourite Gluten Free Pie recipe.
- Keep the lemon curd at room temperature. Many Lemon Angel Pie recipes instruct you to store the cooked curd in the fridge before filling the meringue crust. Once the curd becomes cold it is more challenging to spread as it hardens into a thick paste. While your meringue crust is baking, simply leave the curd in a bowl on your kitchen counter, covered in plastic wrap to ensure it doesnt dry out. The lemon curd will be much easier to fold into the whipped cream later.
- Use a pallet knife to shape the gluten free pie crust. After you have scooped your meringue into the greased pie plate, use a flat icing knife to help create shape to the crust. Janice likes to create attractive waves by pulling the stiff whipped egg whites to the top of the rim of the pie plate.
- Leave your oven door open after baking. Once you peak into the oven and realize your meringue has finished baking dont remove it immediately and place it on your stove as the dramatic temperature change will cause the crust to crack. Instead, simply turn off your oven and leave the door ajar for up to an hour. Once completely cool the Lemon Angle Pie meringue crust will hold its shape perfectly.
- Save some lemon zest. We love to decorate this gluten free pie with fresh lemon zest. It contrasts nicely with the white whipped cream topping.
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