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Angel Pie

Angel pie is made with lemon cream in a meringue crust.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 878.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Electric Mixer Stand mixer or hand mixer for beating egg whites and whipping cream.
  • 2 Mixing Bowls Clean, ideally glass or metal, for meringue and whipped cream.
  • 1 10-inch Pie Plate For baking the meringue shell.
  • 1 Double Boiler Or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water for the lemon filling.
  • 1 Fine-mesh Zester/Grater For lemon zest.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 4 egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ⅓ cup lemon juice
  • 1 ⅛ cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F ( 120 degrees C).
  • Beat egg whites until stiff in a clean mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until glossy. Transfer meringue into a well-greased 10-inch pie plate. Spread over bottom and sides of the plate, building up sides 1/2 inch above the edge of the plate.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven; leave meringue inside to cool slowly.
  • Combine egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons zest, and lemon juice in a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until thick. Pour into a bowl and cool thoroughly.
  • Whip cold heavy cream in a mixing bowl until stiff. Place 1/2 of the whipped cream in cooled meringue shell. Cover with a layer of lemon filling and top with remaining whipped cream. (This top layer can be piped with a decorative star tip). Garnish with remaining lemon zest. Refrigerate until serving.

Notes

1. Meringue Mastery: Ensure your mixing bowl and whisk are immaculately clean and grease-free; any fat can prevent egg whites from whipping to stiff peaks. Slowly adding sugar creates a stable, glossy meringue. Cooling the meringue slowly in the oven prevents cracking. 2. Lemon Curd Perfection: Constant stirring is key when cooking the lemon filling in a double boiler to prevent the yolks from scrambling. Cool it completely before adding to the pie to avoid melting the whipped cream. 3. Whipped Cream: For best results, chill your mixing bowl and whisk before whipping the heavy cream. This helps achieve stiffer peaks and a more stable topping. Garnish with fresh lemon zest just before serving for aromatic brightness.