Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie starts with a simple pastry that is full of lemon zest. Fill it with a lemon custard that takes only moments to prepare and bake gently. Finally, top with a lightly sweetened meringue and decorate it however you want. A truly elegant dessert for every occasion.

The Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie is plated on a pink plate with a lemon in the background. A large piece of pie has been removed showing the inside of the pie; the creamy lemon custard and the whispy Italian meringue that is torched. Small lavender flowers sit on top of the meringue.

I make this Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie every kirihimete (Christmas). The Sweet Lemon Pastry has a good hit of rēmana (lemon) and wanira (vanilla). The kahitete rēmana (lemon custard) is creamy and full of delicious rēmana (lemon) flavour. The Italian Meringue is delicious and flamboyant at the same time. Do not be put off by the steps here e te whānau (family). Each step is so easy and different parts can be made days ahead for easy preparation.

Try some of my other pie recipes:

Nothing beats the warm spiced flavours of my Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate. However, if citrus is what you love, try my Key Lime Pie Recipe, it is truly divine.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie Ingredients:

Placed on a wooden shopping is a dark amber candle and vintage dishes and cutlery that are holding the ingredients for the Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemons: For this Lemon Meringue Pie I always go for sharp lemons because they give the best contrast to the sweetness off the pie.
Eggs: Free-range eggs are my go-to but use what you prefer.
Sugar: Use caster sugar for the lemon custard as it dissolves well, this ensures a creamy filling.
Cream: Use a pouring cream for the filling for a gentle creaminess.

Expert Tips:

Make the pastry up to 5 days before you want to bake. It saves time and develops a delicious lemon flavour.
Do not over whip the lemon custard filling. We don't want lots of air in the mixture. So for a smooth custard just gently whisk the ingredients together until they are combined.
Remove the small bubbles that appear on the custard when poured in to the baked pastry. Scrape them off gently with a spoon before baking so the custard is smooth on top once it is baked. This is more ascetic than anything so no stress if you forget.
Do not whip the meringue on high speed at any stages before the medium peak stage. If the meringue is whipped too fast as the beginning it adds too much air. The texture then becomes bubbly rather than smooth and silky. Trust me when I say, I have learnt this from experience!
Toast the meringue with a chef's torch or under the grill/broil in the oven. The chef's torch gives a deep toasted look but under the grill sets the meringue in a beautiful way. Both options are great.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LEMON MERINGUE PIE:

Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.

The sweet Lemon Pastry dough is being kneaded on a wooden board with Naomi's hands.

1. Make the Sweet Lemon Pastry:

Create one quantity of my Sweet Lemon Pastry until the last step when the pastry is chilled in the freezer for 15 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven:

As the pōhā (pastry) chills, preheat the oven to 170 °C, fan bake.

Grease a 25 cm tart/quiche tin with high sides with pata (butter).

The Sweet Lemon Pastry is being rolled out on to a wooden table with a wooden rolling pin being used with two hands in shot.

3. Roll out the Pastry:

Unwrap the chilled pōhā (pastry) and roll it out on a large piece of baking paper, making sure it is an even thickness all over. Roll it out so that it is around 3 cm wider than the tin, approximately 28 cm.

Flip the pastry in to the tin and reserve the baking paper. Take the time to even out the pastry with your hands and press it in to the groves of the tin on the base and the sides.

Trim off the excess pastry around the tin, leaving an excess of around one cm or so above the rim.

The sweet Lemon Pastry is being pressed in to a quick tin. Hands are pressing the dough in to the curves of the tin.

4. Chill the Pastry:

Return to the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Blind Bake the Pastry:

After it has chilled, press the baking paper in to the pastry and fill it with baking weights. Bake for 15 minutes with the baking weights in.

After 15 minutes, remove the weights and bake the pōhā (pastry) for another 10 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Leave it to cool as you make the kahitete (custard).

A clay bowl sits on top of a wooden board with an amber candle in the background. In the bowl is an action shot of the Lemon Meringue Pie custard being stirred.

6. Make the Lemon Custard:

Turn the oven down to 160 °C.

Add the hēki (eggs), tōhua hēki (egg yolks), kiri rēmana (lemon zest), wai rēmana (lemon juice) and huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl. Using a whisk, gently whisk the ingredients together until just combined.

Do not whisk vigorously here because we don't want to create too much air in the mixture. Continue whisking as you pour in the kirīmi (cream). When it is combined, the kahitete (custard) is ready.

Sitting on a weaved cloth is a blue quiche tin with crumpled edges. In it is the baked lemon custard from the Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie.

7. Bake the Lemon Custard:

Pour the kahitete (custard) in to the baked pōhā (pastry) and gently place in the oven.

Bake for 30 minutes until it is just set. There should be a sight wobble in the middle. Remove it from the oven and cool on the bench for 30 minutes.

8. Refrigerate the Lemon Custard:

After 30 minutes, transfer it to the fridge and chill for at least three hours. This will also keep well and develop delicious flavour if covered well and refrigerated for up to three days.

A glass bowl with a silver trim is filled to the brim with silky meringue that is white and fluffy and shiny.

9. Make the Italian Meringue:

A few hours before you are ready to serve the pie or up to 12 hours before, make the merenge (meringue).

Make one quantity of my Italian Meringue recipe. It should look thick and creamy like this photo.

Remove the pae rēmana (lemon pie) from the fridge and place it on a serving plate or cake stand.

There are two methods of adding the meringue and torching it. So you choose which one you prefer.

A close up of a piping bag piping meringue on to the Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie.

10. Decorate by swirling on the Meringue

Dollop all of the merenge (meringue) on top of the cooled pie and make swirls with your fork or knife.

10a. Decorate by Piping on the Meringue:

First, spread the lemon custard with a thin layer of meringue.

Then transfer the rest to a piping bag that has a large, round piping tip.

Pipe meringue all over it, creating different shapes and sizes. Then choose how you want to toast it.

On a tablecloth sits a freshly piped lemon meringue pie that is being torched with a chef's torch. Lavender flowers are in the forefront and lemons are in the back.

11. Toast the Lemon Meringue Pie with a Chef's Torch:

Toast the meringue using a chef's torch to deeply toast the meringue.

11a. Toast under the Grill:

Heat the grill or broil setting to 200 °C. Once it is at temperature, place the pie under the hot grill quite close to the elements. Allow it brown for 3 – 5 minutes but watch it closely so it doesn't burn.

A piece of homemade lemon meringue Pie is being held up with a cake server. It is being lifted off a ceramic cakes stand with orange flowers in the background.

12. Decorate the Lemon and Meringue Pie and Chill:

Top with lavender petals or fresh berries for added pizzaz or whatever decorations you love.

Then chill the pie again for around 2 hours to allow the merenge (meringue) to set for the cleanest cut of the pie. The pie will be at its best refrigerated for up to 12 hours but beyond that the meringue will start to lose its integrity.

13. Serve the Pie

Serve with fresh tūrutu (blueberries) or rahipere (raspberries).

Check out more

Pastry Recipes

Delicious treats made with your ringaringa (hands).

Browse all

Naomi Toilalo is at the table laden with baking. There is lamingtons, lemon meringue pie, custard slice and cream buns. She is decorating a cake in front of her and smiling.

DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?

It would be so awesome if you could please leave a review/comment by clicking the “leave a comment” section at the top of the page.

I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.

A close up of slice of homemade lemon meringue pie is suspended in the air as it is lifted of a grey ceramic cake plate.

Print Pin

Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie - Pae Rēmana me te Merenge

A luscious Lemon Meringue pie made from a sweet lemon pastry, a smooth and creamy lemon custard, topped with torched Italian meringue.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Pie

Keyword best christmas dessert recipes, best homemade lemon meringue pie recipe, best lemon meringue pie nz, homemade sweet pie nz, how to make lemon meringue pie, lemon meringue pie nz, lemon meringue pie recipe, lemon meringue pie recipe nz, maori food, maori recipes

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 55

Chill Time 5

Total Time 6 55

Servings slices

Equipment

1 x 25 cm tart or quiche tin with high sides

Ingredients

Sweet Lemon Pastry - Te Pōhā Rēmana

1 ½ C (225 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
½ C (75 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
He kini tote – a pinch of salt
150 g pata mātao (chilled butter)
(35 g) 1 hēki iti (small egg, size 6)
Finely grated lemon zest of one rēmana (lemon)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) wanira (vanilla)

Lemon Custard - Kahitete Rēmana

3 hēki (eggs, size 6)
3 tōhua hēki (egg yolks, reserve the egg whites for the meringue topping)
¼ C kiri rēmana pīrahirahi (finely grated lemon zest of around 4 lemons.
¾ C (185 ml) wai rēmana (lemon juice, freshly squeezed)
¾ C (165 g) huka one (caster sugar)
1 ½ C (375 ml) kirīmi (cream)

Italian Meringue - Merenge Itariana

3 kahu hēki (eggs whites, reserved from the custard mixture)
½ tsp kirīmi tāta (cream of tartar)
¾ C (165 g) huka one (caster sugar)
¼ C (60 ml) wai (water)

Instructions

Make the Sweet Lemon Pastry:

Create one quantity of my Sweet Lemon Pastry until the last step, which is to chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven:

As the pōhā (pastry) chills, preheat the oven to 170 °C, fan bake.
Grease a 25 cm tart/quiche tin with high sides, with pata (butter).

Roll out the Pastry:

Unwrap the chilled pōhā (pastry) and roll it out on a large piece of baking paper, making sure it is an even thickness all over.
Roll it out so that it is around 3 cm wider than the tin, approximately 28 cm.
Flip the pastry in to the tin and reserve the baking paper.
Take the time to even out the pastry with your hands and press it in to the groves of the tin on the base and the sides.
Trim off the excess pastry around the tin, leaving an excess of around one cm or so above the rim.

Chill the Pastry:

Return to the fridge for 30 minutes.

Blind Bake the Pastry:

After it has chilled, press the baking paper in to the pastry and fill it with baking weights.
Bake for 15 minutes with the baking weights in.
After 15 minutes, remove the weights and bake the pōhā (pastry) for another 10 minutes until the pastry is golden.
Leave to cool as you make the kahitete (custard).

Make the Lemon Custard:

Turn the oven down to 160 °C.
Add the hēki (eggs), tōhua hēki (egg yolks), kiri rēmana (lemon zest), wai rēmana (lemon juice) and huka one (caster sugar) in to a large bowl.
Using a whisk, gently whisk the ingredients together until just combined. Do not whisk vigorously here, just stir until combined. We don't want to create too much air in the mixture.
Continue to gently whisk as you pour in the kirīmi (cream). Once it is combined, the kahitete (custard) is ready.

Bake the Lemon Custard:

Pour the kahitete (custard) in to the baked pōhā (pastry). Using a spoon remove any bubbles that are floating on the top.
Then gently place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until it is just set. There should be a sight wobble in the middle.
Remove from the oven and cool on the bench for 30 minutes.

Refrigerate the Lemon Custard:

After 30 minutes, transfer it to the fridge and chill for at least three hours.
This will also keep well and develop delicious flavour if covered well and refrigerated or up to the three days.

Make the Italian Meringue:

A few hours before you are ready to serve the pie or up to 12 hours before, make the merenge (meringue).
Make one quantity of my Italian Meringue recipe.
Remove the pae rēmana (lemon pie) from the fridge and place it on a serving plate or cake stand.
There are two methods of adding the meringue and torching it. You choose which one you prefer.

Decorate by swirling the Meringue:

Dollop all of the merenge (meringue) on top of the cool pie and make swirls with your fork or knife.

Decorate by Piping on the Meringue:

Spread the lemon custard with a thin layer of meringue.
Transfer the rest to a piping bag and using a round piping tip. Pipe meringue all over it, creating different shapes and sizes.

Toasting the Meringue with a Chef's Torch:

Toast the meringue using a chef's torch to deeply toast the meringue.

Toasting the Meringue under the Grill:

Heat the grill or broil setting to 200 °C.
Once it is as temperature, place the pie under the hot grill quite close to the elements. Allow it brown for 3 - 5 minutes but watch it closely.

Decorate and Chill:

Top with lavender petals for added pizzaz or whatever things you love.
Chill the pie again for around 2 hours to allow the merenge (meringue) to set for the cleanest cut of the pie.
The pie will be at its best refrigerated for up to 12 hours but beyond that the meringue will start to lose its integrity.

Serve the Pie

Serve with fresh tūrutu (blueberries) or rahipere (raspberries).