Recipe: Lemon Meringue Pie

Celebrate National Pi Day on March 14th with a homemade pie

Crust Ingredients 

• 1 1/4 (150 g) stick of cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 g) table salt
• 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) sugar
• 4 tbsp water (or more if needed)
• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Put metal mixing bowl and paddle attachment into the freezer prior to starting.
2. Butter pie plate. 
3. Break cold butter into chunks and place into cold mixing bowl. 
4. Add the flour, salt and sugar and mix together using the paddle attachment until butter is pea sized. 
5. Slowly add ice cold water until dough is combined (you may need a little more water).  
6. Once the dough is combined but still “flour-y,” divide dough into two equal balls (approx. 260 g each).
7. On a lightly floured board, roll out one ball to a circle the size of your pie plate.
8. Place rolled dough into plate and scallop the edges. Poke holes in dough using fork. 
9. Put pie plate into freezer (not fridge) while preparing filling.
10. When ready to use, brush pie shell with egg yolk.
11. Place pie shell in pan and line with aluminum foil. Bake crust at 375 for 12 minutes. 
12. Keep second pie shell in freezer until needed. 

Makes two crusts.

Filling Ingredients 

Curd

• 232 ml (1 cup) lemon juice
• 5 1/2 tbsp (33 g) lemon zest
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 1/4 cups (270 g) sugar
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
• 3/4 cup (169 g) butter, melted

Curd Instructions

1. Bring lemon juice, lemon zest and rosemary to a boil in a small pan. 
2. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of a double boiler. 
3. Slowly pour the heated lemon mixture into the yolks and sugar. It’s important to do this slowly, to temper it, to avoid cooking the yolks. 
4. Put the bowl on a double boiler and heat over medium heat. Cook the mixture until it thickens, about 75 degrees Celsius.
5. Once the curd has thickened, whisk in the salt and melted butter.  
6. Strain the mixture and cover it with layer of plastic wrap. Put it over an ice bath to allow it to cool.
7. Once it’s cool, pour into baked pie crust.

Meringue

• 2 (37.5g) egg whites
• 1/4 tsp (2ml) salt
• 1/3 cup (100g) sugar 

Meringue Instructions

1. Bring sugar and water to boil over low heat. 
2. Increase the heat and cook to 250 degrees F (120C).
3. While the sugar mixture is heating up, place egg whites in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer until they form peaks.  
4. When the sugar and water reaches 250 degrees, slowly pour it down the side of the mixing bowl into the peaked egg whites, beating the whole time on low/medium. (Speed level 2 on a hand mixer.) 
5. Beat the mixture until it no longer feels hot on the bottom of the bowl. Allow to cool. 
6. Put meringue into a piping bag, and using a large piping tip, and pipe the edges of the pie in a swirling motion. 

Enjoy!

Gabi & Jules is the Lower Mainland’s destination for serious pie. The bakery serves and sells freshly baked pies (and other treats) made with a real butter crust, the secret to getting that beautiful golden hue! The shop is named after owners Lisa and Patrick Beecroft’s two daughters. Daughter Jules has autism and the Beecrofts are committed to creating an inclusive work environment by hiring people on the spectrum. They are also donating one dollar from each whole pie to local autism support organizations.