Make a classic recipe a new favorite with this no-bake lemon meringue pie! No need to turn on the oven for this light and zesty dessert.
Prepare: 2 hourshrs
Bake: 30 minutesmins
Chill: 4 hourshrs
Total Time: 6 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Servings: 8slices
Ingredients
For the Graham Cracker Crust
1 ¼cups(140g) crushed graham crackers, about 9 full sheets
5tbs(70g) melted butter
For the Lemon Filling
1 ½ cups(360mL) water
1cup(200g) granulated sugar
½cup(120mL) lemon juice
½cup+ 1 tbs (84g) flour
4large(80g) egg yolks
1tbs(14g) butter
1tsp(1g) lemon zest
⅛ tsp(.625g) salt
For the Swiss Meringue
4large(120g) egg whites
1cup (200g) granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Graham Cracker Crust
Crush up 9 full sheets of graham crackers in a baggie or blender until you have 1 1/4 cups (140g) of fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter until well coated. Press crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9" (23cm) pie pan. Chill 30 minutes or until firm.
For the Swiss Meringue
Separate the egg yolks from the whites using 4 large eggs. Place the yolks in a heat proof medium bowl and set aside. The bowl for the egg whites should be large enough to fit over top of a small or medium saucepan.
In a medium saucepan, add water that is 1″ (2.54cm) deep. Use a heat proof bowl and set it on top of a the saucepan. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. You only want the steam to gently cook the egg whites. If the bowl touches the water, it will scramble the eggs and you’ll be left with sugary breakfast. So either use a larger bowl or remove some of the water from the saucepan to ensure the bowl does not come in contact with the water.
Bring the water to simmer, about 185°F (85°C.) If at any time the water begins to boil, turn down the temperature to prevent the eggs from overcooking.
Add the egg whites and sugar to a heat proof bowl. Hold the edge of the bowl with a dry towel or oven mitt to steady the bowl while whisking continuously until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature reaches at least 160°F (71°C) but no more than 169°F (76°C.) This will ensure the egg whites are at a safe temperature to consume. Turn off the heat and carefully remove the bowl with a dry towel or oven mitt.
Carefully pour the heated egg whites into a clean heatproof bowl without scraping the sides of the original bowl. Starting with the lowest speed on your mixer, begin to beat the egg whites. Do not increase the speed for a minute or so in order to allow the egg whites to cool to a safe temperature before increasing the speed to medium or medium high. Beat the egg whites until they cool and reach a medium to a stiff peak. This can take quite a while, so be patient.
Once the meringue is ready, set aside and make the lemon filling.
For the Lemon Filling
Rinse and dry lemons. You will need 2 – 3 medium lemons for this recipe. Zest the lemons. Next, juice the lemons and remove all the seeds. Measure out 1/2 cup (120mL) of the juice and 1 tsp (1g) of the zest. Set aside.
Place 1 tbs of butter on a small plate and set aside.
In a medium heavy bottom saucepan, whisk together sugar, salt and flour. Slowly whisk in the water to avoid any lumps in the mixture. Place saucepan on the stovetop and turn heat to medium – medium high, whisking the mixture constantly. The mixture will begin to thicken slightly and begin to take on a shiny texture. When you see the mixture starting to form large bubbles, turn down the heat slightly and whisk continuously for 2 minutes. The mixture will reach 185°F (85°C) and be thick and opaque when ready. Turn off the burner and remove from heat.
Slowly and carefully pour a small amount, about 1/4 cup (80mL) of the sugar mixture into the egg yolks while whisking the eggs continuously. This is called tempering. Gradually add 1/4 of the mixture into the egg yolks while whisking. Transfer all of the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to the burner, turn the heat back to medium and whisk continuously. When the mixture begins to form large bubbles, whisk for 2 minutes or until it reaches 185°F (85°C) and is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and turn off the burner.
Whisk in the butter until it melts, then whisk in the lemon zest. Gradually whisk in the lemon juice.
To Assemble the Pie
Immediately pour the lemon filling on top of the graham cracker crust and spread out evenly.
Once you have the lemon filling spread out as evenly as possible, immediately top with the meringue. Start with a small amount and spread it out to cover the filling quickly. This will both prevent a skin from forming on top of the filling and will seal the meringue to the filling so it doesn’t slide off the pie when slicing. Add the remaining meringue and swirl a pattern with a back of a spoon or lift straight up to form small peaks.
Allow the pie to come to room temperature. For best results, chill for 4 - 6 hours or even overnight to further develop the flavors. Pie must stay chilled until ready to serve. Immediately refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. Stays fresh up to 5 days.