Lemon Meringue Pie Bars – buttery shortbread crust with tart lemon filling, topped with fluffy toasted meringue!
Happy Monday!
I hope your weekend was fabulous. I spent mine recovering from our roadtrip.
You guys, we drove through Houston when it was still raining. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. And OF COURSE I’d planned to stop at a doughnut placeand was dumb enough to get off the interstate becauseit didn’t click in my pea-sized brain that Houston was flooded.
Survived that, got back on the interstate, and the freakin’ interstate was flooded.
I spent a solid 2 hours in Houston trying to figure out how I was going to save all 3 kids and the dog if the Jeep got swept away.
No, I don’t overreact. Why do you ask?
I don’t recommend coming to Texas until it’s done raining. Just stay away. Not a good situation.
These bars have 3 different components: – the crust, the lemon filling, and the meringue topping – so it looks like a lot of work but it’s all pretty simple and definitely worth the work.
Make crust by beating butter, flour, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and salt together
Press crust into a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet; chill in freezer for 10 minutes
Bake crust until golden, about 20 minutes
Cool crust completely before filling
Make filling by whisking together whole eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest
Pour filling over crust and bake until filling is set, another 18 – 20 minutes
Let cool completely before topping
Make the meringue topping by beating egg whites and sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form
Gently spread meringue over the filling
Bake until meringue begins to brown, about 8 – 10 minutes
Let cool completely before slicing and serving
How Long Are Lemon Meringue Pie Bars Good For?
These bars will stay good for 2 – 3 days. Make sure to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can You Make Lemon Bars Ahead?
I like to make these bars the day before I plan to serve them so that they can be completely chilled by the time I cut them. They slice best when chilled and you can really see the layers that way.
Each layer does have to cool after baking so make sure you account for that time when you plan to make these.
Lemon Meringue Pie Bars - buttery shortbread crust with tart lemon filling, topped with fluffy toasted meringue!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour10 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, plus 4 large egg whites
2 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
To make the crust, put butter, flour, confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until well blended.
Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Chill in freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling, whisk together whole eggs, 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake until filling is set, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the meringue topping, put egg whites and ½ cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
What is the best way to prevent having liquid at the bottom of a lemon meringue pie? Don't over bake your meringue! Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink and squeeze out small droplets of moisture. Always make sure to check on your pie at the minimum baking time.
The watery layer between the meringue and the filling (weeping) is usually caused by undercooking. This is where it is important to put your meringue onto hot filling so it can begin cooking right away.
Meringue pies will ''weep'' water because of the interaction between the filling and the whipped meringue. If one or the other is overcooked, water beads will form and weep. Egg whites can also weep if they are over-beaten or are from old eggs. Refrigeration (unfortunately) speeds up the process of weeping—oops!
The Trick To Making Lemon Pie Filling for Lemon Meringue Pie
You make it with egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and fortify it with cornstarch so the filling holds its shape when you cut the pie. READ MORE: What happens when the lemon filling fails to set properly? A runny filling, no fun!
Lemon meringue pie is a tasty and refreshing dessert that's perfect for a dinner party or holiday treat. However, if stored improperly, the meringue can become runny and wet, changing the texture of the pie. To store lemon meringue pie, it's best to keep it in the refrigerator.
Just like when you under cook it, placing a lemon meringue pie in the refrigerator after baking can cause the meringue topping to “weep." If you do have leftovers that you'd like to save, it's okay to refrigerate! Just know the texture may slightly change.
You can't overbeat meringue - It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that your meringue is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.
In general, a given weight of egg whites can absorb up to an equivalent weight of sugar, but you can't just dump it in all at once or it will simply knock all the air out of the foam.
Overbaking meringue will result in a phenomenon known as weeping, in which the egg whites contract, releasing moisture that collects between the meringue and the pie filling beneath it. Another sign of a weeping meringue is when droplets of brown liquid collect on the surface of your meringue.
The first documented recipe for a dessert that combined lemon custard with meringue was published in the United States in 1847. The cookbook "The Lady's Receipt Book" by Eliza Leslie featured a recipe called "lemon pie" that called for a lemon custard filling topped with a meringue made from egg whites and sugar.
While sugar helps stabilize those whipped egg whites as you beat more air into it, there's still a risk of collapse. Cream of tartar is an added safeguard; it gives more stability to that foam structure, therefore setting up your meringue for success.
It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.
stiff peaks. beaten egg whites that stand up straight when beaters are lifted from the mixture. weep. when liquid accumulates between meringue and pie filling because meringue was spread on cool filling.
One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.
The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...
Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
