Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie – Pae Rēmana me te Merenge
A Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie is one of my favourite things to eat and I always make this tohutao (recipe) every kirihimete (Christmas). The Sweet Lemon Pastry is lightly sweet with a good hit of rēmana (lemon) and wanira (vanilla). The kahitete rēmana (lemon custard) is so creamy and full of delicious rēmana (lemon) flavour. And the Italian Meringue on top is so 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. Kia tiro atu tātou ki te tohutao nei – let’s look at the recipe.
The Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie Pastry:
Start the Sweet Lemon Pastry by adding the puehu parāoa (flour), puehu huka (icing sugar) and tote (salt) in to a bowl. Grate pata mātao (chilled butter) in to the flour mix and rub the pata (butter) in until roughly incorporated. Add in a beaten hēki (egg), along with the kiri rēmana (lemon zest) and wanira (vanilla). Gently knead the dough, only for a minute or so until the ingredients have come together. Wrap it in baking paper, chill for 15 minutes and roll it out and blind bake it. Cool and move on to the kahitete (custard).
The Kahitete Rēmana (lemon custard):
This step is so simple. Combine whole hēki (eggs) and tōhua hēki (egg yolks) in a bowl. Reserve the remaining kahu hēki (egg whites) for the topping. Whisk in the huka (sugar), wai rēmana (lemon juice), kiri rēmana (lemon zest) and kirīmi (cream). Now pour it in to the blind baked pōhā (pastry) and gently bake until it just set.
The Merenge Itariana (Italian Meringue):
The Italian Meringue process begins by whipping the kahu hēki (egg whites) in to medium – stiff peaks. A sugar syrup is then heated until it reaches 116 degrees celsius. Begin to whip the kahu hēki (egg whites) again as you slowly drizzle in the hot syrup. Continue to whip and eventually a super stiff and glossy merenge (meringue) forms. If you want to use a different method, absolutely go for it. Simply use the same ingredients and quantities but try the French Meringue Recipe or Swiss Meringue. Pipe the meringue like I did for the cookbook photo’s or use a fork to create rustic shapes. Use a chef’s torch to toast the merenge (meringue) or place it under the hot grill for a few minutes.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie – Pae Rēmana me te Merenge
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 tsp (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
Sweet Lemon Pastry – Te Pōhā Rēmana
- Create one quantity of my Sweet Lemon Pastry until the last step, which is to chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- As the pōhā (pastry) chills, pre-heat the oven to 170 °C, fan bake. Grease a 25 cm tart/quiche tin with high sides, with pata (butter).
- 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.
- Gently ease the pōhā (pastry) in to the tin, and take the time to even out the pastry with your hands and press it in to the groves of the tin. Trim off the excess pastry and leave an excess of around one cm or so above the tin.
- Return to the fridge for 30 minutes.
- 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).
Lemon Custard – Kahitete Rēmana
- 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.
- 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 from the oven and cool on the bench for 30 minutes.
- 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. A few hours before you are ready to serve it, make the merenge (meringue).
Italian Meringue – Merenge Itariana
- 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 I use from here.
- Simple Method: Dollop all of the merenge (meringue) on top of the cool pie and make swirls with your fork or knife. If you do not have a chef's torch, heat the grill or boil setting to around 200 °C.Once it is as temperature, place the pie under the hot grill and allow it brown for 3 – 5 minutes. It needs to be quite close for this to be effective.
- Technical Method: Spread the lemon layer with a thin layer of meringue so the whole base is covered. Transfer the rest to a piping bag and using a round piping tip, pipe whips meringue all over it, creating different shapes and sizes. Once it is finished, use a chef's torch to deeply toast the meringue. Top with lavender petals for added pizzaz.
- Chill the pie again for around 2 hours to allow the merenge (meringue) to set. Serve with fresh tūrutu (blueberries) or rahipere (raspberries).
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