Mini Lemon Meringue Pies with Phyllo Shells

Mini lemon meringue pies made with Athens Graham Cracker Phyllo Shells, homemade lemon curd and toasted vanilla bean meringue! 

How to make mini lemon meringue pies?

Lemon meringue pie is made up of a crust, a lemon filling and a meringue topping. 

The crust I chose for these mini pies are ready-to-serve Athens Phyllo Shells. They make this recipe so quick and easy! Try the classic phyllo or graham cracker flavors for a great pairing with the lemon filling. Oh, and no muffin tins, cooking spray or sticky pie crust! 

You can either use store bought lemon curd for the mini lemon meringue pies or make your own. You’ll have to make the meringue topping yourself but trust me, they’re both incredibly easy. 

Ingredients for homemade lemon curd:

• Lemons: both the lemon juice and zest
• Sugar: I use granulated sugar
• Eggs: I used just the egg yolks and saved one egg white for the meringue topping
• Butter: I always use unsalted butter and then add a pinch of salt. Make sure the butter is softened so you can easily incorporate it into the curd. 
• Cornstarch: cornstarch will help stabilize the lemon curd so it’s not too runny in the pie. 
• Salt: adding a little salt in baking just enhances all the flavors. 

Ingredients for mini lemon meringue pie topping:

• Egg whites: just the egg whites, no egg yolks!
• Sugar: I used granulated sugar
• Vanilla: For optimal vanilla bean flavor, use vanilla bean paste or real vanilla beans.
• Salt: just a pinch to bring out the vanilla flavor. 
• Cream of tartar: I never use this but some people like to use it to stabilize the meringue. Feel free to add a teaspoon before you start whipping. 

Tips for making meringue topping

Making meringue topping sounds so simple…and it is. However, if it goes wrong, there’s no coming back. You want to whip the egg whites with sugar until they form a fluffy white, cloud-like meringue with stiff peaks.

 If there is any sort of “fat” in the mixture, the egg whites won’t whip properly. To ensure that you have a perfect meringue, make sure to:

1. Use a CLEAN bowl and whisk beater! The best kind of bowl to use is copper or aluminum because they don’t hold on to residue like other materials, such as plastic. 
   1. Some people will wipe their bowl with vinegar to ensure there is no fat residue on it. I just wash it with soap and water. 
2. Make sure when you crack the eggs that no part of the egg yolk gets into the egg white mixture. 

How to use a blow torch for mini lemon meringue pies?

Ok, blow torches are so fun to use! I secretly make meringue for half my desserts just to toast them, lol. Make sure to read the directions on the kitchen torch before using it and practice before pointing it at anything directly. 

It’s also fairly easy to light the meringue on fire so move your hand back and forth while toasting. 

Can I toast the meringue without a blow torch?

There are two other ways you can toast the meringue for lemon meringue pies without a blow torch. First, any lighter will work. I used to just use a lighter that I used for my candles and hover over the meringue. This is quite difficult for a large pie but for the mini pies it would work.

You can also toast the meringue in the oven. Turn the oven on to broil at around 450F. Once it’s hot, place the mini pies in the oven and watch them for 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they will burn quickly once they start browning. 

How to store mini lemon meringue pies?

Always store baked goods in airtight containers to preserve freshness and avoid drying out. Because of the meringue, make sure to keep the mini lemon meringue pies in the refrigerator. 

I would not suggest freezing them. If anything, I would freeze the graham cracker shells alone and freeze the lemon curd separately. Then assemble them fresh. Bake the shells, bring the lemon curd to room temperature and make a fresh meringue topping. 

Ok friends, that’s a wrap for today! Don’t forget to pick up a box of Athens Graham Cracker Phyllo Shells to make the ultimate spring treat! If you make these mini lemon meringue pies, make sure to tag me @baranbakery on instagram. 

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Yield: 15

Lemon Meringue Mini Pies Recipe

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Mini graham cracker phyllo shells filled with a sweet and tart lemon curd and topped with toasted vanilla bean marshmallow fluff!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• Athens Phyllo Shells - Classic or Graham Cracker Flavor

Lemon Curd

• zest from 1 large lemon
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Toasted Marshmallow Topping

• 1 large egg white, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

Lemon Curd

1. Preheat the oven to 425F (218C) and bake the phyllo shells for 4 minutes.
2. Use a carrot peeler to peel the lemon for the zest (like you would a carrot) and place the peels in a food processor with the sugar. Pulse until the lemon peel is shredded and combined with the sugar.
3. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt to the food processor and pulse until everything is fully combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan, over low-medium heat and cook it for about 10 minutes, until its thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter.
6. Pour the curd through a sieve into another bowl to get rid of any chunks.

Vanilla Bean Marshmallow Fluff

1. While the curd cools a little, place the egg white and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. 
2. Heat 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Place the bowl of egg whites and sugar on top of the pan of simmering water, creating a double boiler, and cook for about five minutes, whisking constantly, until the egg whites are frothy and the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Remove it from the heat and beat it with a whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
5. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, and beat just until combined.

Assemble

1. Lay out the graham cracker shells.
2. Spoon the room temperature lemon curd onto the bottom half of the shells.
3. Pipe the marshmallow fluff over the lemon curd, until the shells are filled up and use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow fluff.
4. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Store refrigerated in an airtight container for 7-10 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

15

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 81Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 65mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g

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