A lemon meringue pie is one of those desserts that everyone likes. This one is actually a lime meringue pie because I love the tanginess that the lime brings to the recipe. I’ve been asked to make this recipe countless times because apparently some people get a result that’s too sweet and others think that it’s too sour. Other times the meringue changes as time goes by and it ends up floating on top of the pie.
Many people have asked me to post this recipe and I hope not to disappoint. I think that one of the most important things in the recipe is that the measurement of lime juice is in milliliters instead of in lime units. This is relevant because not all limes have the same amount of juice and so it helps to get the same sweetness / sourness result every single time.
I like a cookie base in my lemon and lime pies, but if you prefer a dough base I recommend that you do double the recipe (and procedure) from my panna cotta tarts. Also if you’re using cookies always taste them first and see if you want to add extra powder ginger, cinnamon, or vanilla if they don’t have much taste in them.
For the meringue I made a Swiss meringue which is much more stable than the typical French that tends to split after a few hours and makes the meringue slip on top of the lime base. The important part when making a meringue is weighing the egg whites and add double their weight in sugar. This is the rule of thumb to get a firm and fluffy meringue.
To finish the meringue off you have 3 options: not do anything to it, use a blowtorch or put it in the oven. If you want to use a blowtorch keep a nice distance between the flame and the pie and do gentle strokes so it doesn’t burn but rather turn golden. If you want to make it in the oven put it at 200C on broil (top heat only) and keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The thing I don’t like about this last option is that it gives the meringue a harder crust on the outside.
Lime Meringue Pie
Ingredients
For the cookie base
- 220 g cookies, I used vanilla
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
For the lime filling
- 800 g condensed milk
- 180 ml lime juice
- 6 egg yolks
For the meringue
- 6 egg whites
- double the weight of the egg whites in sugar
Instructions
For the cookie base
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Process or crush the cookies with the salt until fine and mix with the melted butter.
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Put the cookies on a pie mould and press down using your fingers first and use the base of a glass to press it down nicely.
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Take to a preheated oven at 160C for 5-10min until it starts to become golden every so slightly. Be careful at this stage because it goes from golden to burnt pretty quickly.
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Let cool down completely before adding the filling so it doesn't get moist.
For the lime filling
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Mix the lime juice with the condensed milk.
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Add the yolks one by one and mix immediately so the yolks don't oxidize with the sugar from the condensed milk or the acidity from the limes.
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Pour onto the cookie base and take to the oven still at 160C for 20min.
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Let cool down completely and place in the fridge overnight.
For the meringue
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Make it as close as possible to the moment of serving, it's always nicer freshly made.
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Put the egg whites and sugar in a bowl where you're going to mix them afterwards. Put it on a bain maire without touching the water below and mix every once in a while.
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Once you don't feel any sugar crystals at the bottom of the bowl (try with your finger) you can take it off the bain marie and mix it with a static or hand-held mixer until it cools down to room temperature and is firm.
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Lay on top of the pie and spread out. I like to keep abut 5mm uncovered around the edges so you can see the filling below.
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You can make the meringue look a bit golden using a blowtorch, put in an oven at 200C on broil or just leave it white.
