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Homemade Lemon Meringue Pie - Pae Rēmana me te Merenge

A luscious pie made from a sweet lemon pastry, a smooth and creamy lemon custard, topped with Italian meringue.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 55 minutes
Chill Time 5 hours

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).