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Lemon merangue pie

(26 Posts)
Luckylegs9 Sat 19-Dec-15 13:46:39

Many years ago I used to make lemon pie with Green mixture. I have just bought 4 boxes, but was surprised to see the only instructions are to make the filling. Can you remind me, is the base cooked first, how many egg whites for the merangue and at what temperature is it baked and gif how long. Thank you.

Auntieflo Sat 19-Dec-15 14:09:23

Hello Lucky. I have bought these fairly recently, but they are not the same as the old original ones. The instructions on my packet are all over the place, side, back etc.
Let's go:-
First, make the lemon filling, ( instructions on packet side) and let this cool.

Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 150C( 140 C for fan assisted) 300F / or Gas mark 2.

Place a pre-baked pastry case onto a baking tray and pour in the cooled lemon filling.

Prepare your meringue
Mix 2 x med.egg whites until stiff. Whisk in 4oz caster sugar, ( 2ozs at a time) until all the sugar is combined and meringue forms peaks.
Spread meringue over filling, covering completely.
Bake in centre of oven for 25 minutes.
Serve warm or cold. If served warm, allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Eat and enjoy

The old packets used to have a little lemon capsule that had to dissolve and I'm sure an egg yolk was added.
What you do with the 2 egg yolks is up to you?? smile

Greyduster Sat 19-Dec-15 14:14:13

I have a horror story about Greens LM pie mix, but i will keep it to myself! At least until after you have made yours! smile

grannylyn65 Sat 19-Dec-15 14:21:51

Don't be a tease Grey!!!!

Auntieflo Sat 19-Dec-15 16:28:26

Come on Greyduster, you must reveal your secret about LM pie mix.

Greyduster Sat 19-Dec-15 16:32:13

Okay! smile. I bought a box which had two packets in it. I have used these for years and never had a problem, but when i had cooked it up, the usually lemony mixture looked a bit grey and had bits in it! Fortunately it never made it to the pie case! I cooked the other packet up and it was absolutely fine, so whatever had made it into the first one i don't know. I'm not sure if i want to know! Here it is!

shysal Sat 19-Dec-15 16:48:22

If anyone is interested in the easiest lemon pie filling ever, this is it. To a can of condensed milk add the juice and zest of two lemons. Mix well and watch it miraculously set!

ginny Sat 19-Dec-15 16:51:43

I used one a few weeks ago for quickness. Won't use it again. No taste to it at all.

grannylyn65 Sat 19-Dec-15 16:57:29

No, is fairly easy to make, but have to confess to buying M&S pie base as am rubbish at pastryblush

JackyB Sat 19-Dec-15 17:35:16

As I live in a heathen country which hasn't heard of lemon meringue pie, I have to make them from scratch myself.

It always seems to me that the things that you can make from a packet are the easiest things to make from scratch - it's the complicated stuff that I wish there were packets for.

Anyway - my question is: If you make a lemon meringue pie using a packet for the filling, what do you do with the egg yolks? They're what makes the filling (a) set and (b) yellow.

TriciaF Sat 19-Dec-15 18:10:12

I often make it from scratch, apart from the pastry which I usually buy ( like Grannylin I'm rubbish at pastry.)
How much filling you need depends on the size of your baking tin, but I use 2 lemons, rind and juice, 2 tbsp cornflour, 4 eggs separated, 2 tbsp sugar, and about half pint of water, maybe more.
Bake the pastry case blind in a hot oven for about 15 mins while preparing the filling etc. Then reduce the heat to gas 4 for the meringue.

tiggypiro Sat 19-Dec-15 21:14:36

An easy pastry recipe for all of you who think you can't make pastry !

4oz flour, 5oz soft margarine & 2 Tbsp water into a mixer/processer and whizz until a mixed up sticky mess. Add 4oz more flour and mix until it comes together.

This pastry is a bit like playdoh and is easily mended if it cracks.

I use plain flour for a pastry case and SR for a tart top.

I make the lemon filling similar to TriciaF but cook the meringue on a very low heat often overnight as I like it dried out and crispy.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 19-Dec-15 21:18:31

I can't resist this any longer.

You can start off with spelling it right. Meringue. tchgrin

I'm really really sorry.

I am a wicked evil cow. tchblush

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 19-Dec-15 21:19:14

I tried not to press the post message button! I really did.

I'm off. moon

rosequartz Sat 19-Dec-15 21:40:27

Remove contents from packet, place in food recycling bin.
Put paper and cardboard into paper/card recycling bin.

Buy lemons, cornflour, eggs and sugar.
Use pre-prepared pastry cases ( or tiggy's easy method).
Use a method eg Mary Berry's.

Serve and accept all the compliments that come your way and blush

Sorry, won't post this, oops

Sadiesnan Sat 19-Dec-15 21:48:36

You really don't need to buy a pie mix. It's easy enough to make from scratch, I even make my own pastry. I always put extra lemon in the filling as I love the strong lemony flavour. This is my very favourite dessert. The filling is just egg yolks, zest and lemon juice, sugar, cornflour and water. At least without the packet you use all the eggs.

MamaCaz Sat 19-Dec-15 22:24:04

What's difficult about making pastry? Even DH can do it, and he can't even switch the oven on without help, his cooking skills are so limited! grin

This thread has made me want to make a lemon meringue pie again. It's years since I last made one!

I occasionally used to use the Greens mixes, too. I can still remember the lovely smell when you added the lemon capsule. Mmm. I don't think I could bring myself to use them now though. It would feel too much like cheating!

TriciaF Sun 20-Dec-15 13:59:18

Just to add that in my recipe you need about a pint of water, not just half. The cornflour and egg yolks are enough to thicken a pint, I think.
I never measure it exactly, you can always add more cornflour or water if necessary.

JackyB Tue 22-Dec-15 11:48:11

My recipe is the one written in my DS (Domestic Science!) book when I was 12. We hated our DS teacher, but my two exercise books from back then (1965-1967) are still in use.

Bellanonna Tue 22-Dec-15 12:55:34

Oh those DS lessons. She was a real harridan. Had worked in the prison service and once sent me to stand in the corridor for the whole two hour lesson. Apparently I hadn't listened properly. Ours was a postwar utilitarian text book full of dull economy recipes for use with rationing. I don't remember lemon meringue pie, but we made horrible soups and lots of pastry-based things. My dad always said they were wonderful, Bless him.
She also taught needlework and put me off the craft for life when I spilled ink on a petticoat I was sewing, and someone unhelpfully suggested I use milk to get it out. The resultant mess was so bad that the French mother superior was called in to marvel at it. I made a mental gesture and never made any effort after that. Sorry to stray .......... Back to the thread

Coolgran65 Tue 22-Dec-15 14:20:06

I saw Nigella do a pudding that was a 'tribute' to lemon meringue but even easier.

Make one pavlova base, let it cool and turn it upside down so the top is flat.
Spread a jar of good quality lemon curd over the flat base taking it right to the edge. It will probably eventually run down the sides, no matter.

Top with whipped double cream, grated zest, toasted almonds.

Ymuuy

rosequartz Tue 22-Dec-15 15:38:10

That sounds delicious and easy Coolgran
I think Mary Berry does something similar but makes the lemon filling.

ginny Tue 22-Dec-15 15:39:56

Yummy, but isn't that just an upside down pavlova. ?

rosequartz Tue 22-Dec-15 19:56:12

I think Mary's is a right-way-up pavlova tchgrin

I often find a right-way-up slice of pavlova lands the wrong-way-up on the plate when I serve it.

shysal Wed 23-Dec-15 10:07:48

I intend to make Nigella's Lemon Pavlova when the family comes after Christmas, although I think I shall leave it the right way up. I like the way the curd drips down the side, so will have to coax it.