How can I tell stiff peaks vs soft peaks?

Soft peaks will hold their shape somewhat, but look kind of like a blob. Once you get to medium peaks, the meringue will hold its shape will except maybe at the top (like the photo above). Stiff peaks will hold together so that when you lift the stand mixer head it will stand straight up.

Does meringue have raw eggs in it?

While French meringue does contain raw egg whites, Swiss meringue does not. All of the eggs in this recipe are fully cooked for food safety. The egg whites in the Swiss meringue are heated past 160, and the eggs in the lemon curd recipe are also heated well past 160 degrees on the stovetop (which is the minimum temperature recommended by the USDA.)

What’s the difference between French and Swiss Meringue?

French meringue is made by whipping raw egg whites with sugar. It's super light and airy, but also tends to "weep" or shrink and separate. Swiss meringue is made by first heating the sugar and egg whites before whipping them. The result is a little denser, more glossy and marshmallow-like than French meringue. It also holds its shape better, and I still find it pretty light and airy!

What does it mean to temper eggs?

In baking, tempering refers to combining ingredients of vastly different temperatures in a way that achieves (or prevents) a certain result. When it comes to eggs, it means slowly adding a hot ingredient to prevent the egg proteins from coagulating (or clumping together). If you add a hot liquid to eggs too quickly, it will almost instantly cook them, and you'll end up with a mixture that looks like scrambled eggs rather than a smooth custard.

Can you make meringue with a hand mixer?

Yes , you can! You'll want to use a balloon whisk attachment rather than the beaters that it comes with in order to incorporate more air. You can even make a meringue by whisking by hand, although it would take a long time and your arm would probably get very tired.

Best Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

lemon meringue pie with bruleed top with a slice taken out

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5 from 1 review

This Lemon Meringue Pie with a graham cracker crust is simply the BEST. It's both creamy and crunchy, tart and sweet, and totally delicious! Plus, it looks pretty impressive with its vibrant yellow lemon curd filling and toasted Swiss meringue top. It's the perfect dessert for spring and summer!

Author: Kelly @ Butter and Thyme
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Yield: 8 slices 1x
Category: dessert
Method: stovetop, no bake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the crust:

1 3/4 cups crushed graham crackers (~ 12 full graham crackers)
8 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the lemon filling:

6 egg yolks + 3 whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter (cold, diced)

For the meringue:

6 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Make the graham cracker crust: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Press evenly into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate, going up the sides of the pan to create an empty pie shell. Bake crust for 10-12 minutes until golden brown, and let cool completely.
Make lemon curd filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, salt and cornstarch. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the lemon juice and sugar, and heat to a soft boil. Slowly add the hot lemon mixture to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Then, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and set over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened (180-200 degrees). Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the cold diced butter. Let lemon curd cool slightly, stirring occasionally to prevent a crust from forming. Then pour the warm lemon curd into the pre-baked crust, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1- 2 hours until well-chilled (the filling will continue to thicken).
Make Swiss meringue: Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler), stirring and scraping the bowl constantly with a flexible rubber spatula, until it registers 165-170°F with a thermometer. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, and whip for 5 minutes on medium-high until it's thick and glossy. Spread over pie.
Use a kitchen torch to lightly toast the meringue until golden brown. Alternatively, place the pie in the oven using the broiler setting for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

The juiciness of lemons depending on a lot of factors like age, variety, size, etc. You'll likely need 5-8 lemons to get 1 cup of juice. You can also use bottled lemon juice, but it's more acidic and not as vibrant as freshly squeezed juice.
To separate the egg whites from the yolks, crack the eggs one at a time over a small ramekin or bowl, carefully cradle the egg yolk back and forth between the two shell halves, and place the yolk into a separate small bowl. After each egg, transfer the whites from the ramekin into a slightly larger bowl. This helps in case you accidentally break a yolk while separating the eggs, you won't contaminate your whole batch of egg whites. You need the egg whites to be completely free of yolk for the meringue.

Find it online: https://butterandthyme.com/best-lemon-meringue-pie-with-graham-cracker-crust/