Lemon Pie with Italian Meringue

A classic homestyle lemon pie with a buttery biscuit base, creamy condensed milk and lemon curd filling, topped with a stable Italian meringue. Presented by Brenda Dávila using a 28cm mold.

30m Prep

28m Cook

1h 30m Total

8 Servings

dessert pie lemon meringue baking pastry peruvian italian meringue condensed milk

Ingredients

For the Italian meringue

4 piece egg whites (at room temperature)
200 g sugar
60 ml water

For the base

250 g cookies (digestive or Maria style) (crushed)
90 g melted butter (melted)
2 tbsp sugar
salt

For the filling

400 g condensed milk
4 piece egg yolks
120 ml lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 piece lemon zest (zest only, avoid white pith)
salt

Steps

1

Crush the cookies in a food processor or in a bag using a rolling pin. Mix with melted butter, a pinch of salt, and sugar until a compact dough forms.

Tip: If you don't have a food processor, place cookies in a zip bag, cover with a clean kitchen towel and crush with a rolling pin.

~5 min
2

Press the cookie mixture into a 28cm tart mold, spreading evenly from the center outward to the edges with a thickness of about 3–4mm. Use the flat base of a glass to smooth and compact the surface.

Tip: The flat-glass smoothing trick only works with pre-cooked cookie bases, not with raw pastry doughs.

~5 min
3

Bake the base at 180°C for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before adding the filling.

~10 min
4

Whisk egg yolks with condensed milk first until well combined. Then add the lemon juice and mix — the mixture will thicken slightly, which is normal. Add lemon zest and a pinch of salt.

Tip: Always mix yolks with condensed milk BEFORE adding lemon juice — adding acid directly to yolks causes proteins to coagulate prematurely.

~5 min
5

Pour the filling into the cooled base and bake at 180°C for 18 minutes, until the yolks are cooked (70–80°C internal). Cool completely, then refrigerate for best results.

~18 min
6

Make the Italian meringue: combine sugar and water in a saucepan and cook to 121°C. When syrup reaches 117°C, begin beating egg whites. When syrup hits 121°C, reduce mixer speed to medium and slowly pour syrup over the whites. Continue beating until cool and glossy.

Tip: Reduce mixer speed when adding hot syrup to prevent splattering. Italian meringue is the most stable type — ideal for refrigerated desserts as it won't weep.

~15 min
7

Spread or pipe the Italian meringue over the cooled lemon filling. Toast with a kitchen torch if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

380

Calories

Protein

52g

Carbs

16g

Fat

Fiber

Cultural Context

Pay de Limón is a beloved Latin American dessert adapted from the American Key Lime Pie. In Peru it is a staple at home celebrations and pastry shops. This version uses Italian meringue — the most stable of the three meringue types — instead of the more common French meringue, which prevents the characteristic 'weeping' droplets seen on commercially made pies.