One of the best things about winter and early spring in south Louisiana is the abundance of fresh citrus, including the Meyer lemon. Thought to be a cross between a regular lemon and a mandarin orange, this variety of lemon is a favorite backyard tree in this region due to its cold hardiness. Meyer lemons can be used whenever you want a burst of sweet citrus flavor without the acidic bite of regular lemons, and it’s a wonderful addition to both savory and sweet dishes, including a traditional lemon meringue pie.
Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
Yields: 1 (9-Inch) Pie
Topped with an easy Italian meringue, this gorgeous pie highlights the slightly sweet flavor of fresh Meyer lemon juice.
Ingredients
- Pie Dough (recipe follows)
- 2¾ cups sugar, divided
- 1½ cups plus ⅓ cup water, divided
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup Meyer lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
Pie Dough
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 5 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- On a lightly floured surface, roll Pie Dough to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Trim dough ½-inch beyond edge of plate, if needed. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Prick bottom with a fork. Freeze until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Top dough with a piece of parchment paper, letting ends extend over edges of plate. Add pie weights.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Carefully remove paper and weights. Bake until crust is golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes more.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1¼ cups sugar and ⅓ cup water. Heat over high heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 240°.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.
- With mixer running, slowly pour hot sugar syrup into egg white mixture. Increase mixer speed to high, and beat until bowl is cool to the touch, about 8 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Set aside.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Set aside. In another medium bowl, slowly whisk together egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, and cornstarch.
- In a medium saucepan, stir together lemon juice, salt, remaining 1½ cups water, and remaining 1 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming. Slowly pour hot lemon juice mixture into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; cook for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out cornstarch flavor. Remove from heat, and strain through prepared sieve.
- Stir butter and lemon zest into mixture. Immediately pour into warm piecrust. Top with meringue, making sure to push meringue to edges.
- Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown meringue. (Alternatively, place pie on a rimmed baking sheet, and brown under broiler on middle rack of oven, 1 to 2 minutes, turning pie frequently.) Let cool to room temperature before slicing.
Pie Dough
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour, sugar, and salt; pulse until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. With processor running, pour 5 tablespoons ice water through food chute in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Mixture may look crumbly. It should be moist and hold together when pinched.)
- Turn out dough, and shape into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Dough may be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip: Make the crust and filling, then cover with plastic wrap on surface and chill overnight. Wait to make and torch meringue until ready to serve.
