Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie with a Biscuit Base Recipe
This dairy-free lemon meringue pie features a crisp biscuit base, topped with the most lusciously zesty vegan lemon curd.
To balance the sharp flavour of the lemons, it’s finished off with a fluffy cloud of egg-free meringue made from aquafaba.
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Lemon meringue pie might typically be made with eggs, but this clever vegan lemon meringue pie recipe uses some clever substitutions to make a deliciously animal-free dessert.
To make it vegan and dairy-free, you’ll use a dash of agar agar powder to ensure the lemon curd has a thick texture so it can hold its shape in the pie.
Making the meringue layer egg-free is simply – you’ll just need to reserve the water from a can of chickpeas and reduce it over a low heat before using an electric mixer to whip it into stiff peaks like a traditional meringue.
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Prep Time: 1 hour (+ 4 hrs resting time)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Rating:
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 8)
- For the biscuit base:
- 25 25 g Mr Organic Ginger & Lemon Biscuits
- 9.375 9.375 g vegan butter, melted
- For the lemon curd filling:
- 11.25 11.25 g vegan butter
- 31.25 31.25 ml lemon juice
- 31.25 31.25 ml coconut milk
- 0.125 0.125 tsp vanilla essence
- 12.5 12.5 g icing sugar
- 0.3125 0.3125 Tbsp cornflour
- 0.0625 0.0625 tsp agar agar powder
- For the aquafaba meringue:
- 15.625 15.625 ml aquafaba (chickpea water from 1 tin of chickpeas)
- 0.03125 0.03125 tsp cream of tartar
- 12.5 12.5 g granulated sugar
- 0.25 0.25 Tbsp water
Method
- Place the biscuits into a food processor and pulse until they are broken down. Combine with the melted vegan butter in a mixing bowl, then press the mixture into the bottom and sides of an 8-inch pie tin. Place the pie base into the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
- For the lemon curd filling, add the butter, lemon juice, coconut milk, vanilla essence, and icing sugar to a medium-sized saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer whilst stirring regularly.
- In a small bowl, whisk the corn flour and agar agar powder with 3 tbsp of plant milk until dissolved. Pour the mix into your lemon curd and continue to stir for 5-10 minutes on the lowest heat setting or until the mix begins to thicken.
- Immediately pour the lemon curd into the pie crust and place your lemon pie into the fridge to set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To create the aquafaba meringue, start by measuring your aquafaba liquid from 1 tin of chickpeas. Most tins contain a little more than the 125 ml that we need for this recipe. For best results, add the liquid to a saucepan and reduce it over low heat until you have only 125ml. Through cooking off the rest, the aquafaba becomes thicker and more egg-like, resulting in a better meringue, so please don’t skip this step.
- Pour your reduced aquafaba into a clean, grease-free mixing bowl alongside the cream of tartar. Place the granulated sugar and water into a non-stick saucepan and bring to a simmer on low to medium heat until it reaches 116-118C (without stirring!). In the meantime, whip your aquafaba into stiff peaks using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Carefully remove the pie from the tin and place it onto a serving dish.
- Pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipped aquafaba and continue to whisk until well combined. Transfer the meringue mixture to a piping bag and decorate your pie – or alternatively spoon it on top for a more rustic finish. Use a torch to lightly brown the meringue and you’re ready to serve!
- Store your lemon meringue pie in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Buy yourself a Vegan Food & Living subscription for just £3 for 3 issues to keep your recipe inspiration going!
Chef’s tip
For an extra zesty pie, sprinkle fresh lemon zest over your meringue before serving.
Looking for more plant-based pie recipes?
Check out our pick of the best sweet and savoury vegan pie recipes!
