Lemon Meringue Pie (American)
This is the American old-fashioned lemon meringue pie with a gel-like filling. If you want a sticky filling, use the British Lemon Meringue Pie recipe instead.
United States
Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
Ingredients 13 ingredients
- 1½ cups (360 ml) cold water
- 1 cup (240 g) white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) lemon juice (from about 2 lemons or bottled lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 egg yolks, beaten
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 6 tablespoons white granulated sugar
Possible health benefits
General information, not medical advice.
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Lemon juice
High in vitamin C · 39 mg per 100 g, 48% of the reference intake per 100 g
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of blood vessels.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage.
11 more authorised claims
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function.
- Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
- Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Vitamin C contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E.
- Vitamin C increases iron absorption.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. NIH fact sheet
Nutrients per 100 g of “Lemon juice, raw”, USDA FoodData Central.
Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Method
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- Prepare and bake Grandma's Pie Crust or a ready-made refrigerated or frozen pie crust.
- Let cool.
- In a saucepan whisk together water, sugar, flour, cornstarch, salt, turmeric, lemon juice and lemon zest. Make sure any flour or cornstarch lumps are stirred until they dissolve.
- Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to simmer. Stir constantly.
- Add butter, then stir until melted.
- Beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Add about ½ cup (120 g) of hot lemon mixture into eggs and stir well. This tempers the egg yolks so they won't scramble when added to the simmering lemon mixture.
- Pour tempered egg mixture into pan of simmering lemon mixture. Stir until well mixed.
- Continue simmering lemon filling about 2 minutes until it thickens, stirring constantly.
- Pour into cooled pie shell and allow to cool while preparing meringue.
- Place 4 egg whites in mixer and whip at high speed until they start to foam.
- Add cream of tartar to egg whites then, while continuing to beat, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat about 30 seconds between tablespoonfuls of sugar.
- Continue to beat meringue until stiff peaks form when beaters are raised from bowl.
- Spread meringue over pie, starting on lemon pie filling, using rubber spatula. Spread over edges of crust, completely sealing in the lemon pie filling.
- To form peaks in meringue, use the flat side of a rubber spatula to touch the meringue and pull away. Repeat over entire surface of meringue.
- Place pie in 350°F (180°C) oven for 15 minutes until high points of meringue are lightly browned.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan
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Mixing bowl
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Whisk
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Electric mixer
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Grater
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Wooden spoon
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Spatula