What is a Lemon Meringue Pie?

Lemon meringue pie is a classic dessert that consists of a flaky pie crust filled with a rich, tangy lemon custard and topped with a fluffy, golden-brown meringue.

The pie is known for its perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors, creating a delightful contrast that is beloved by many.

The filling is typically made from a mixture of lemon juice, zest, eggs, sugar, and sometimes cornstarch or flour to thicken the custard.

The meringue is created by whipping egg whites and sugar together until they form stiff peaks, which are then spread over the lemon filling and baked until the meringue achieves a crisp and golden exterior.

The combination of the zesty lemon filling and the light, airy meringue creates a dessert that is both refreshing and indulgent, making it a popular choice for those with a sweet tooth and an affinity for citrus flavors.

How To make Lemon Pie

INGREDIENTS:

300g all-purpose wheat flour (2 cups)
60g Sugar (¼ cup)
1 stick of very cold unsalted butter
1 grade egg (this must be cold)
1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 ½ cups of whole milk
½ cup Cornstarch
150g Sugar (1 cup)
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Lemon zest (green part only)
4 egg yolks
1 stick of unsalted butter

SWISS MERINGUE

4 egg whites
300g Sugar (about 1 cup)

PREPARATION:

1. We begin by sifting the flour into a bowl, with the help of a strainer. (This is done to remove any lumps that the flour may have).

2. Add the teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of sugar. We stir a little to integrate the ingredients.

3. Add the cubed butter, which must be very cold. We stir with the help of a mixer for 2 min. until the ingredients have been well integrated and the consistency of the dough is sandy. (The butter is put very cold to form a sandy paste, otherwise it will become a sticky dough).

4. We lightly beat the egg (which must also be very cold), and add it to the flour and butter mixture, continuing to beat for approximately 1 min. more or until the butter has been incorporated into the flour. If you notice that the mixture is still very dry, add a splash of water just to compact the mixture. (Do not add too much water, because the mixture will be sticky and will be very difficult to handle). The dough should have a firm consistency that, when pressed a little, compacts but does not stick to your hands).

5. When the dough is ready, we place it on plastic wrap and press it a little to flatten it as much as possible. We wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours so that the dough rests and becomes a little hard.

6. After the resting time has passed, we take the dough out of the refrigerator, we remove the plastic wrap and we divide it into 4 pieces, we flatten it a little (without kneading) to integrate it again, just a little so that the dough does not heat up.

7. It’s time to form the base. On a flat surface or kitchen counter, sprinkle a little flour, place the dough and sprinkle flour on top, with a rolling pin we begin to stretch the dough until it is half a centimeter thick and can cover the pie pan that you have in home.

8. Once you have your dough stretched to the size of your mold (including the walls), roll it a little on the rolling pin and place it on the mold (if your mold is not Teflon, I recommend that you grease it previously). With the help of your hands, mold the dough to adapt it to the shape of your mold.

9. When the dough is well adapted to the shape of your mold, remove the excess with a knife or rolling pin, passing along the edges and pressing a little.

10. Refrigerate the mold for 15 minutes before baking so that the dough hardens a little.

11. After the time has passed, we take the mold out of the refrigerator and cover it with aluminum foil, giving the shape of the mold and adding a little legumes to it to give it a little weight and so that the dough does not shrink when it is cooked. (you can use beans, chickpeas, etc.).

12. We bake the base at 200 degrees for 15 min.

13. After 15 minutes, we take the mold out of the oven and remove the aluminum foil with the legumes that you put in it. Be careful not to burn yourself.

14. Beat the yolk of an egg and varnish the base of the pie so that it takes on a golden color when baked. We put it back in the oven and bake for 15 min. at 180 degrees.

15. After the baking time has passed, we remove the base from the oven and let it cool completely. While we prepare the filling.

Lemon Cream Filling:

Heat  the milk in the microwave or on the stove, when it is already hot we reserve a moment.

Place the cornstarch and sugar in a bowl, stir a little to integrate both ingredients.

Next add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, the lemon zest and the egg yolks, continue mixing so that all the ingredients are integrated and all the lumps are dissolved.

Without stopping mixing, add the hot milk little by little, do not stop stirring while adding the milk to prevent the egg yolks from curdling.

When you have all the ingredients well integrated, place the milk mixture on the stove over medium heat for 10 minutes. Without stopping stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the pot, when the cream begins to thicken, cook for a few more minutes until you have a very consistent, creamy and firm mixture.

When the cream is ready, lower it from the heat and add the butter squares at room temperature, continue stirring until the butter dissolves. We transfer it to a separate bowl and cover it with plastic wrap (touching the mixture) to prevent it from forming a kind of crust and let it cool.

 Swiss Meringue:

In a saucepan over a double boiler, place the cup of sugar and the 4 egg whites, put the double boiler over medium heat and stir the egg whites and sugar constantly to prevent the egg whites from cooking. .

We continue stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. You will know that it is ready if you touch the mixture with your fingers and you no longer feel any grain of sugar.

When the sugar has melted well, we put the mixture in a bowl and begin to beat with a mixer for 10 minutes at medium speed. After that time and the meringue begins to whip, we increase the speed to the highest speed of your mixer. and we continue beating for 15 min. more or until the meringue takes on a firm, creamy and shiny consistency.

We take the pie out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and remove it from the pie mold, place it on an extended plate to start decorating it.

We place the meringue in a pastry bag and a piping bag of your choice (if you don’t have one, you can use a plastic bag). We begin to form little meringue fluffs on top of the pie starting from the outside in until the entire pie is covered.

At this point you can toast the meringue tufts with a kitchen blowtorch, but if you don’t have one you can leave them as is and decorate it however you prefer.

For the lemon pie to keep very well, you must keep it refrigerated. You now have a creamy and delicious lemon pie ready, enjoy.

How do you store leftover pie?

Storing lemon meringue pie properly is crucial to maintaining its texture and flavor. Here are some guidelines on how to store lemon meringue pie:

1. Refrigeration:
   • Due to the perishable nature of the lemon filling and meringue topping, it’s best to store a lemon meringue pie in the refrigerator.
   • Place the pie in the refrigerator as soon as it has cooled to room temperature.
2. Covering:
   • Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Avoid wrapping it too tightly to prevent the delicate meringue from getting crushed.
3. Avoid Moisture:
   • Moisture can affect the texture of the meringue, making it soft or weeping. Store the pie away from humid areas and avoid placing it near foods with strong odors in the refrigerator.
4. Consume Promptly:
   • Lemon meringue pie is best enjoyed within a day or two of baking. The meringue may start to break down and lose its texture over time.
5. Freezing (Optional):
   • If you need to store the pie for a more extended period, you can freeze it. However, keep in mind that meringue may not retain its original texture after freezing.
   • Freeze the pie uncovered initially until the meringue is firm, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in an airtight container.
6. Thawing:
   • When ready to eat a frozen pie, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator. Avoid thawing at room temperature to minimize the risk of bacterial growth.

Remember that while storing lemon meringue pie, especially with meringue toppings, requires some care, consuming it fresh is the ideal way to experience the pie at its best. If you have leftover slices, consider covering the exposed edges of the meringue with plastic wrap before refrigerating to help preserve its texture.

Check out these other desserts!

• The Most Delicious and Authentic Chocoflan Recipe
• The Best (and easiest) Flan Napolitano Recipe
• Lemon Carlota 

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Lemon Pie

This classic recipe, with its flaky crust and heavenly lemon custard, is a culinary masterpiece that promises to tantalize taste buds and awaken the senses with its irresistible aroma and delightful medley of textures. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

Crust

• 300 g all-purpose wheat flour 2 cups
• 60 g Sugar ¼ cup
• 1 stick of very cold unsalted butter
• 1 grade egg this must be cold
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling

• 1 ½ cups of whole milk
• ½ cup Cornstarch
• 150 g Sugar 1 cup
• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Lemon zest green part only
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 stick of unsalted butter

Swiss Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• 300 g Sugar about 1 cup

Instructions

• We begin by sifting the flour into a bowl, with the help of a strainer. (This is done to remove any lumps that the flour may have).
• Add the teaspoon of salt and ¼ cup of sugar. We stir a little to integrate the ingredients.
• Add the cubed butter, which must be very cold. We stir with the help of a mixer for 2 min. until the ingredients have been well integrated and the consistency of the dough is sandy. (The butter is put very cold to form a sandy paste, otherwise it will become a sticky dough).
• We lightly beat the egg (which must also be very cold), and add it to the flour and butter mixture, continuing to beat for approximately 1 min. more or until the butter has been incorporated into the flour. If you notice that the mixture is still very dry, add a splash of water just to compact the mixture. (Do not add too much water, because the mixture will be sticky and will be very difficult to handle). The dough should have a firm consistency that, when pressed a little, compacts but does not stick to your hands).
• When the dough is ready, we place it on plastic wrap and press it a little to flatten it as much as possible. We wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours so that the dough rests and becomes a little hard.
• After the resting time has passed, we take the dough out of the refrigerator, we remove the plastic wrap and we divide it into 4 pieces, we flatten it a little (without kneading) to integrate it again, just a little so that the dough does not heat up.
• It’s time to form the base. On a flat surface or kitchen counter, sprinkle a little flour, place the dough and sprinkle flour on top, with a rolling pin we begin to stretch the dough until it is half a centimeter thick and can cover the pie pan that you have in home.
• Once you have your dough stretched to the size of your mold (including the walls), roll it a little on the rolling pin and place it on the mold (if your mold is not Teflon, I recommend that you grease it previously). With the help of your hands, mold the dough to adapt it to the shape of your mold.
• When the dough is well adapted to the shape of your mold, remove the excess with a knife or rolling pin, passing along the edges and pressing a little.
• Refrigerate the mold for 15 minutes before baking so that the dough hardens a little.
• After the time has passed, we take the mold out of the refrigerator and cover it with aluminum foil, giving the shape of the mold and adding a little legumes to it to give it a little weight and so that the dough does not shrink when it is cooked. (you can use beans, chickpeas, etc.).
• We bake the base at 400 degrees F for 15 min.
• After 15 minutes, we take the mold out of the oven and remove the aluminum foil with the legumes that you put in it. Be careful not to burn yourself.
• Beat the yolk of an egg and varnish the base of the pie so that it takes on a golden color when baked. We put it back in the oven and bake for 15 min. at 180 degrees.
• After the baking time has passed, we remove the base from the oven and let it cool completely. While we prepare the filling.

Lemon Cream Filling:

• Heat the milk in the microwave or on the stove, when it is already hot we reserve a moment.
• Place the cornstarch and sugar in a bowl, stir a little to integrate both ingredients.
• Next add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, the lemon zest and the egg yolks, continue mixing so that all the ingredients are integrated and all the lumps are dissolved.
• Without stopping mixing, add the hot milk little by little, do not stop stirring while adding the milk to prevent the egg yolks from curdling.
• When you have all the ingredients well integrated, place the milk mixture on the stove over medium heat for 10 minutes. Without stopping stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the pot, when the cream begins to thicken, cook for a few more minutes until you have a very consistent, creamy and firm mixture.
• When the cream is ready, lower it from the heat and add the butter squares at room temperature, continue stirring until the butter dissolves. We transfer it to a separate bowl and cover it with plastic wrap (touching the mixture) to prevent it from forming a kind of crust and let it cool.

Swiss Meringue:

• In a saucepan over a double boiler, place the cup of sugar and the 4 egg whites, put the double boiler over medium heat and stir the egg whites and sugar constantly to prevent the egg whites from cooking. .
• We continue stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. You will know that it is ready if you touch the mixture with your fingers and you no longer feel any grain of sugar.
• When the sugar has melted well, we put the mixture in a bowl and begin to beat with a mixer for 10 minutes at medium speed. After that time and the meringue begins to whip, we increase the speed to the highest speed of your mixer. and we continue beating for 15 min. more or until the meringue takes on a firm, creamy and shiny consistency.
• We take the pie out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and remove it from the pie mold, place it on an extended plate to start decorating it.
• We place the meringue in a pastry bag and a piping bag of your choice (if you don’t have one, you can use a plastic bag). We begin to form little meringue fluffs on top of the pie starting from the outside in until the entire pie is covered.
• At this point you can toast the meringue tufts with a kitchen blowtorch, but if you don’t have one you can leave them as is and decorate it however you prefer.
• For the lemon pie to keep very well, you must keep it refrigerated. You now have a creamy and delicious lemon pie ready, enjoy.

The post The Best Lemon Pie Recipe with Swiss Meringue appeared first on My Latina Table.

There are a lot of holidays in the United States that we celebrate differently than in Mexico. That said, we do share a lot of holidays and traditions. One holiday, however, that is not celebrated at all in Mexico is Thanksgiving. 

I fell in love with Thanksgiving from the first year that I celebrated it. Just the idea of having a whole day dedicated to being grateful was really cool to me! Not just that, but being able to try many different kinds of foods is always great too. 

One of the first things I noticed about Thanksgiving is that pies are a big part of it. The first time we celebrated it with my husband’s family, there were so many pies to try, including pecan pie, apple pie, chocolate pie, and more! One type of pie that I really love, though, is pumpkin pie. 

Pumpkin pie is one of my favorites because I just love the taste of pumpkin combined with delicious spices. I definitely went through a few slices on my first Thanksgiving and have every year since too. 

How Do You Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie?

It is much easier than you may think to actually make pumpkin pie. In general, what you will need is the following:

• Pumpkin puree
• Pumpkin pie spice mix (store bought or homemade)
• Evaporated Milk
• Eggs
• Pie Crust (store bought or homemade)

The filling is very easy to make and then you just bake it together with the crust and you will have a pumpkin pie that everyone will love in no time!

Homemade Pie Crust v. Store Bought

You may be asking whether you should be using homemade pie crust or pie crust that you can buy in the store. The answer here is that it really depends on how much time you have and your own preference. You can get some really good, easy to use pie crusts from the store. That is what I used for this particular recipe, but homemade can be just as good and even much better if you have the right crust. 

The convenience of using store bought crust is nice if you don’t have as much time and don’t want to risk the pie crust not coming together correctly. However, you can definitely feel a much greater sense of accomplishment if you make your own.

If you do want to make your own, you can use the same pie crust recipe as you will find in my pecan pie recipe here. 

I use this pumpkin pie recipe whenever I am asked to take a pie to some event. It has been a hit every time and is not only good at Thanksgiving. I have used it year-round and no one has complained yet! 

I hope you and your family enjoy this pumpkin pie recipe. Let me know in the comments below! 

Other Pie and Dessert Recipes

• Extra Creamy Yogurt Pie Recipe
• No-Bake Mango Cheesecake Recipe
• The Best (and easiest) Flan Napolitano Recipe
• Lemon Carlota
• The Best Tres Leches Cake Recipe
• Easy Pecan Pie Recipe

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Amazing Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Find out how to make the most delicious pumpkin pie recipe that everyone will love this holiday season. Find out how to make the most delicious pumpkin pie recipe that everyone will love this holiday season. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword pecan pie, Pumpkin Pie, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 16 Slices

Calories 132kcal

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• 1 Can Pumpkin Puree (15 oz)
• 1 Can Evaporated Milk (12 oz)
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp All Spice
• 1 Pie Crust (two 9 inch standard depth, homemade or store-bought)
• 2 Eggs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and set aside
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cinnamon, nutmeg, and all spice.
• Add the pumpkin puree and the mix from the previous step to the large bowl with the eggs and mix well.
• Stir in the evaporated milk until everything is well combined
• Pour into the pie crust and bake for 20 minutes
• Reduce temperature to 325 and bake for 40-60 minutes
• Remove from oven and let cool for 1-2 hours
• Serve with whipped cream

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4217IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Amazing Homemade Pumpkin Pie Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

I have mentioned in the past that I am not the greatest baker – it seems like every time I try to bake something, something goes wrong. That is why I love coming up with no bake recipes that are just as delicious, and that don’t require an oven! Two of my favorites are my no-bake OREO cheesecake recipe, and my Lemon Carlota recipe. Both are so easy to make, don’t require an oven, and are delicious!

This recipe is no exception – the first time I made it my whole family couldn’t believe how delicious it was! When I told them that we were having yogurt pie, they were a little bit hesitant, thinking that it wouldn’t be too good. After one bite though, they were already preparing for seconds! My husband excitedly declared, “this tastes like I am eating cloud – a delicious, creamy cloud!” I thought that was pretty funny, but I guess it is a good way to describe it.

This yogurt pie is so easy to make –  starting with the graham cracker crust, you just need to put the crushed up graham crackers in a springform pan with melted butter like you can see in the image above. Then just spread it out evenly so it looks like the below image and put in the refrigerator to cool and harden.

After the crust is ready, it is time to make the best part – the extra creamy filling! The secret to making this work is following these instructions exactly for using the unflavored gelatin correctly. This will allow it to set up perfectly so that you don’t have to bake it and so that it has a nice creamy texture. The instructions are in the recipe below, but here they are in visual form too so that it makes sense.

You will end up combing yogurt with a delicious homemade whipped cream and the above unflavored yogurt combination. The result is a perfectly smooth and creamy filling for this tasty yogurt pie. After letting it chill, you will remove it from the springform pan carefully and decorate it however you want. I added some shaved chocolate and fresh fruit, and it was amazing!

 This is now one of our favorite desserts and I’m sure it will be for years to come! What is your favorite no-bake dessert recipe?

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Extra Creamy Yogurt Pie Recipe

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust

• 1 Stick of Melted Butter
• 2 Sleeves of Graham Crackers

For the Filling

• 1 1/4 Cup of Plain Yogurt or Plain Greek Yogurt
• 3 Oz of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 Cup of Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/2 Cup of Milk
• 1/2 Cup of Sugar
• 2 packets 7 oz each of unflavored gelatin

To Decorate

• Fruit
• Chocolate Shavings

Instructions

For the Crust

• Crush up all of the graham crackers in a food processor or blender
• Add the graham cracker and melted butter to a springform pan, combine and spread out.
• Chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling

• Start by preparing the unflavored gelatin - combine the milk and unflavored gelatin, mix well and let sit for 5 minutes until solidified. Move on to the next step while waiting.
• Beat the whipping cream with the sugar until a smooth whipping cream is formed.
• Heat the unflavored gelatin in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until it is liquid again.
• In a blender mix the liquid unflavored gelatin from the previous step, the cream cheese, the yogurt, and the sweetened condensed milk.
• Fold the first half of the previous mix into the whipped cream (do not stir vigorously - it has to be folded in carefully) and then do the same with the second half.
• Pour the filling into springform pan over the crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Remove and decorate with shaved chocolate and fresh fruit.

The post Extra Creamy Yogurt Pie Recipe appeared first on My Latina Table.

One of my goals at the beginning of this year was to try hard to simplify my life. As a mom with lots of things that always need to be done, this is not an easy goal to achieve! That said, I do believe that by simplifying what we can, we can eliminate unnecessary stress from our lives and be happier! One thing that I have been trying to simplify is the food that I make for my family. This doesn’t mean that I am cooking out of a box or just eating frozen pizzas. Instead, it means that I am looking for ways to cook delicious food, with simpler ingredients that I can make in a hurry. This recipe for banana, walnut, and strawberry yogurt mini pie is one that helps me accomplish that goal.

This is a great recipe to have one hand for a quick, fresh, and perfect sized dessert. You can make it when you are having guests over, or just after dinner when you or your kids are craving something sweet, but you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen.

The ingredients that you will need are the following:

• Reddi-wip® original 13 oz size
• Dannon® Light & Fit® Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt
• Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust
• Banana
• Walnuts

All of these ingredients are conveniently located at Walmart. I was actually able to find the first three together in a special display, and of course the bananas were in the produce section. Right now there are rebates on Ibotta for the Reddi-Wip® and the Dannon® Greek Yogurt and if you redeem both, you can get a $.50 bonus.

You can make this entire recipe in less than 20 minutes, although I actually chose to let it chill for a couple of hours before serving and it turned out great!

I love the Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust. It is so convenient, because the come in such a great size and they are ready right out of the package. This is great, because it allows you to focus more on the filling.

For my filling I chose to use the Dannon® Light & Fit® Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt, combined with Reddi-wip®, chopped walnuts, and bananas. I love the combination of walnuts and bananas, and strawberry cheesecake goes good with just about any dessert!

I know that simplifying life can be hard, but taking small steps is the best way to get started. I hope that you are able to enjoy this delicious pie on one of those days that you want something tasty but you don’t have a lot of time to make it.

What do you do to make your life more simple?

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Banana, Walnut, and Strawberry Yogurt Pie

Author Charbel Barker

Ingredients

• Reddi-wip® original 13 oz size
• 2 Dannon® Light & Fit® Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt
• 3 Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust
• 1 Banana chopped into smaller pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

Instructions

• Add the Dannon® Light & Fit® Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt and about a cup of the Reddi-Wip® to a large bowl and mix well.
• Add the chopped walnuts and bananas and stir until everything is well mixed.
• Add the filling to the Keebler® Ready Crust® Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crust (at this point you can chill in the refrigerator, or continue with the next step immediately.
• Add some more Reddi-Wip® on top of the pie filling, and finish off with very finely chopped walnuts.

The post Banana, Walnut, and Strawberry Yogurt Pie appeared first on My Latina Table.