Passover Lemon Meringue Pie (Gluten-Free)
Passover is next weekend. So, behold, a Kosher for Passover lemon meringue pie!
As in a lemon meringue pie that literally tastes just as good as the best gluten-full, lemon meringue pie you've ever had, only with all the necessary substitutes that are required to make it premissible for Passover consumption.
Which also means that aside from being Kosher for Passover, this lemon meringue pie is also completely gluten-free. So, all you Celiacs, if you've been craving a lemon meringue pie for forever but have never been able to find or create a gluten-free version that's comparable to a regular lemon meringue pie, your cravings are about to be dealt with mucho adequately.
Issa good day.
AND! There are no weird thickening agents or obscure flours used in this pie either.
So, what actually are the substitutions in this lemon meringue pie that convert it into a Kosher for Passover dessert, eh?
For the crust, almond flour replaces the traditional flour. Almond flour is simply ground up, blanched almonds and can be purchased in pretty much any grocery store, or even online.
And, since meat is usually served with the Passover meals, and eating milk and meat together is a no-no according to Kashrut laws, I've made this lemon meringue pie completely dairy-free as well!
But also, since I hate using margarine and other fake butters, guess what? This crust works wonderfully with coconut oil instead!! As does the filling!! Can you tell that I'm just a little bit excited???
p.s. you could use butter or margarine in the crust and filling if that's what you'd prefer.
Now, as for the lemon filling. Usually, corn starch is used to thicken it up and transform the mixture from a liquid into a thick, creamy filling. But since many people don't use corn on Passover (see why here), corn starch is nixed too.
So, instead of corn starch, I used potato starch. And I've actually found that potato starch does a better job at thickening up the filling than corn starch does.
But like for real. You'll need less potato starch than you would need corn starch to achieve the thickness required for this filling.
And, as for the meringue topping, which always consists of a variation of egg whites and sugar and is therefore naturally gluten-free + Passover friendly to begin with, no adjustments were required. Thank you for being so obliging, meringue.
I always prefer making my lemon meringue pie in a tart pan as opposed to a pie dish, as seen in these photos, which technically makes this a lemon meringue tart. Me thinks it just looks more professional, ya know?
And I also like piping my meringue onto my pie (with an open star tip) instead of simply spreading it on top. But you can use any pie plate or tart pan you’d like, and design the meringue in any way you desire.
So versatile, this pie is.
But can we be done with the technicalities now and talk about the actual flavor of this lemon meringue pie????
Here's what we got:
-crispy, crunchy crust with a tad of sweetness and lotsa flavor from the almond flour (btw, that's why there's so little oil/butter in this crust, because the almond flour is naturally so fatty)
-creamy, rich, perfectly sweet filling bursting with tons of tangy, fresh lemon flavor from all that lemon zest and juice
-sweet, sticky, marshmallowy meringue topping, torched till toasty and browned
I'll be honest - this is definitely a time-consuming and somewhat labor-intensive dessert to make. Because there are a few steps required. You gotta make the crust, the filling, and the meringue, and then you gotta assemble it all together.
But all that being said, boy is this Passover lemon meringue pie worth the effort! BOY.
Next week, I'll be back with another incredible (but much easier, yay) Passover recipe!
Passover Lemon Meringue Pie (Gluten-Free)
Yield: 11” tart
Crust:
2 ½ cups almond flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold coconut oil, margarine, or butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Filling:
4 whole eggs
4 egg yolks (save all 4 egg whites for meringue)
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
5 teaspoons potato starch
½ cup coconut oil, margarine, or butter
Meringue:
4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Crust: Preheat oven to 375 F. Generously grease an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom (you can use a pie plate or smaller tart pan, but you will have some leftover dough).
2.In a food processor (or by hand), pulse together almond flour, sugar, and salt. Add in rest of crust ingredients and pulse until dough begins sticking together.
3. Drop the dough into greased tart pan, and then press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Prick the dough on bottom of pan all over with a fork to prevent it from puffing up. Press a piece of round parchment paper into the tart and weigh it down with pie weights.
4. Bake crust for 15 minutes, then remove the parchment paper with the weights and bake the crust for a few minutes more, until it is golden brown and firm. Let crust cool before removing it from the tart pan.
5. Lemon Filling: While the crust is baking, prepare the filling: Whisk together the eggs, yolks, and lemon juice and zest in a medium, heat-poof bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the sugar and potato starch before whisking mixture into the bowl with the eggs (do not pour the potato starch and sugar directly into egg mixture before mixing the two together).
6. Place the bowl over a simmering pot of water, creating a double boiler. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon over a medium flame until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
7. Remove bowl from flame and stir in the coconut oil/butter right away until it’s fully incorporated. Strain filling to remove any clumps or lemon pits. Once crust is cooled, spread lemon filling evenly into it, smoothing the top with a spatula.
8. Meringue: Place egg whites and sugar into bowl of your electric stand mixer (or any heat-proof bowl) and place over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Whisk mixture constantly for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (110 F).
9. Transfer the bowl to your machine fitted with a whisk attachment, add in vanilla extract, and then whip mixture, starting on a lower speed and gradually increasing it to the highest speed. Whip meringue for about 6 minutes, or until glossy, stiff peaks form.
10. Pipe meringue onto tart in any design desired (I used an open star tip and piped "kisses"), or simply spread the meringue over the filling with a spatula. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue (or place pie in broiler for a couple minutes).
11. Serve pie that day or refrigerate for next day use.
