Sandra This Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie recipe is a tart and fluffy classic, which features a zesty lemon custard and a sky-high toasted meringue. It’s a show-stopping dessert, ready in about 5 hours and 30 minutes (including chilling).
Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
For the Lemon Filling
- 5 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
- 1 ⅓ cups (320ml) water
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (38g) cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For the Meringue
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
How To Make Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie
- Blind bake the crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust rack to the lowest position. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and pie weights (or dried beans). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights/paper and bake for another 10–15 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Be sure to crimp the edges.
- Lower the heat: Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- Start the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the 5 egg yolks and set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk the water, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, ¼ tsp salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest together. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles (about 6 minutes). Once thickened, reduce heat to low.
- Temper the yolks: Very slowly stream a few large spoonfuls of the hot lemon mixture into the bowl with the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly to warm them up without scrambling.
- Thicken the custard: Pour the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Turn heat up to medium. Cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles burst at the surface. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted.
- Fill the shell: Pour the hot filling directly into the warm, blind-baked crust. Smooth the top. Set aside but keep warm (a warm filling helps seal the meringue).
- Whip the meringue: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the 5 egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for 1 minute. Increase to high speed and beat until soft peaks form (about 4 minutes).
- Add sugar: Add the ½ cup sugar and ⅛ tsp salt. Continue beating on high speed until glossy, stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes).
- Top the pie: Spread the meringue over the hot lemon filling. Make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the crust edges to seal it in (this prevents weeping). Use the back of a spoon to create decorative peaks.
- Bake: Bake on the lowest oven rack for 20–25 minutes until the meringue is golden brown.
- Cool and chill: Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack at room temperature for 1 hour. Then, refrigerate for 4 hours to set completely before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Sealing the edges: Spreading the meringue so it touches the crust all the way around is the most critical step. If there is a gap, the meringue will shrink and weep liquid as it cools.
- Warm filling: Putting the meringue on top of hot filling cooks the underside of the meringue instantly, which also prevents weeping (separation of liquid). Do not let the filling cool down while you whip the whites.
- Room temperature whites: Egg whites whip up much higher volume when they are at room temperature. Separate your eggs while cold, then let the whites sit for 30 minutes.
- Slicing: To get clean slices, dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between every cut.
What To Serve With Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie
This pie stands alone, but pairs with:
- Fresh Berries: Blueberries or raspberries on the side.
- Mint Tea: A refreshing herbal tea.
- Coffee: Black coffee cuts the sweetness.
- Limoncello: For a grown-up treat.
How To Store Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie
- Refrigerate: Cover loosely with foil (try not to squash the peaks) and store in the fridge. It is best eaten within 1–2 days.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The meringue will become rubbery and the filling may weep upon thawing.
Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 350kcal
- Protein: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturates: 4g
- Sugar: 42g
- Salt: 0.3g
Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 8 slices).
FAQs
Why did my meringue weep?
Weeping (puddles of water) happens if the meringue is undercooked or if it wasn’t sealed to the crust properly. Putting it on hot filling helps prevent this.
Can I use bottled lemon juice?
No, for a lemon meringue pie, the lemon flavor is everything. Bottled juice lacks the zest and the bright floral notes of fresh lemons.
Why is my filling runny?
If the filling didn’t boil after adding the cornstarch/yolks, the starch didn’t activate fully. You must see big bubbles popping on the surface before taking it off the heat.
Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
Description
A perfectly balanced sweet-tart lemon pie featuring a stable cornstarch-thickened custard and a fluffy, marshmallow-like meringue topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Blind bake crust.
- Whisk water, sugar, starch, lemon juice, and zest in a pan; thicken.
- Temper yolks with hot filling; return to pan and boil.
- Whisk in butter and pour into hot crust.
- Whip egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks.
- Add sugar and whip to stiff peaks.
- Spread over hot filling, sealing edges.
- Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.
- Cool 1 hour, chill 4 hours.
Notes
- Tempering the egg yolks (adding hot liquid to them slowly) is the vital technique that prevents you from having scrambled eggs floating in your lemon custard.
- Ensuring the filling is still hot when you top it with meringue cooks the base of the egg whites, effectively “gluing” the two layers together so they don’t slide apart when sliced.
- Using cornstarch as the thickener creates a translucent, gel-like custard that sets firmly enough to slice cleanly, unlike flour which can make the filling cloudy.
Alton Brown Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
