Pie de limón is a classic for once, the Chilean afternoon tea. It has three parts: a homemade crust, a lemon and sweetened condensed milk filling, and a cloud of meringue on top. I like Italian meringue, made with hot syrup, because it holds up better.
Use room temperature butter for the crust, otherwise it will turn out too dry. Chill the dough so it is easier to work with.
When you mix the lemon juice into the condensed milk, do not add it all at once. Mix, taste, and add more if you like, since acidity and flavor vary a lot from one lemon to another. Keep the pie covered in the fridge, where it lasts 5 days to a week.
Chilean Lemon Pie (Pie de Limón)
Pie de limón is a delicious classic for afternoon tea in Chile.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 9 tbsp salted butter 125 g; at room temperature
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour not self-rising
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the filling
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk standard 14 oz can
- 7 tbsp lemon juice 100 ml; strained, no seeds or pulp
For the meringue
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
Instructions
For the crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks and keep beating until well combined, and finally add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Put the dough in a buttered tart pan with a removable bottom and press it with your fingers to cover the whole base. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside.
For the filling
- In a bowl, mix the condensed milk with the lemon juice and pour it over the prebaked crust.
For the meringue
- In a small saucepan, combine the meringue sugar with a little water and cook over low heat without stirring until it reaches the thread stage: when you lift a little syrup with a spoon and let it drip, it forms a very fine thread. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, so they do not slide when you tilt the bowl. Add the syrup a little at a time and keep beating until the meringue is cool.
- Spread the meringue over the pie and bake for 15 minutes or until the meringue starts to brown.
- Let it cool, remove it from the pan, and enjoy! ¡A disfrutar!
Notes
Variations: instead of a homemade crust, mix crushed sweet cookies with melted butter and bake for a couple of minutes. You can use lime juice, or limón de pica (a small, very aromatic Chilean lime; Key limes are a good substitute), instead of lemon. If you have no condensed milk, fill the pie with lemon curd. Swiss or French meringue also works instead of Italian.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal
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