Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar #SundaySupper
Summertime is the season of lazy days, no homework and times when friends gather together to soak in the sunshine before winter strikes once more. Come to think of it, people flock to picnics for these very reasons so it’s not surprising that this weeks’ Sunday Supper theme is celebrating National Picnic month.
I think the key to a successful picnic is to include foods that are easy to eat whether sitting on a tire swing or standing next to the table soaking wet from a dip in the lake and trying not to drip on the paper napkins.
Gooey Brownie Cups, Nana’s Butter Cookies and Lemon Raspberry Cake are always well received but this post deserved something above and beyond. I’m talking about a dessert that will stand on its own and complement Gallo Family Vineyards’ wine selection. Something like Lemon Meringue Pie.
I thought there has to be a way to make a portable pie that my friends can enjoy before the pesty flies get to it. How hard could it be? Turns out that it’s fairly easy thanks to ½ pint wide mouth mason jars.
The dough is the same one that is in my Lemon Meringue Pie. I used a large bowl to cut out the circles but as I was shaping each circle into the mason jar it struck me that it would work just as easily if I simply cut the dough into four pieces after it’s rolled out. There’s a lot of pressing to get it around the bottom and up the sides but I am all for taking shortcuts.
My biggest challenge was determining which meringue topping would work best inside a jar. The one I use in my Lemon Meringue Pie would deflate much too quickly. Italian buttercream was too difficult to minimize to the amount needed. Then it struck me, 14 minute frosting would be perfect.
The topping is light like a meringue but holds up like a frosting. If you are like me and pipe it to the top of the jar, then you get a bonus of licking some topping off the lid.
Elevate your picnic even more by serving Gallo Family Vineyards’ Moscato and Pinot Grigio. The Moscato is bursting with delicious flavors of peach, honey and ripe citrus while the Pinot Grigio brings together the refreshing crisp flavors of fresh green apple, white peach and citrus. Now do you understand why either of these wines pairs beautifully with Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar?
| Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar #SundaySupper | Print |
- Crust:
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
- Lemon filling:
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup boiling water
- 3 egg yolks
- 5-6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- Meringue:
- 1 egg white
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon corn syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the crust:
- Combine the flour and sugar in a food processor. Pulse on/off to mix. Add the butter and pulse on/off until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal. While using the pulse on/off button, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix just until the dough becomes a ball. The dough should not be wet and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a piece of wax paper. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap the in the wax paper. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Set aside 4 - ½ pint wide mouth mason jars.
- Roll out the dough between sheets of wax paper or parchment paper until roughly 14" in diameter. Either use a 6" round bowl or knife to divide the dough into four pieces.
- Spray the glass jars with nonstick cooking spray. Press each dough piece into the bottom and up the sides. Freeze for 10 - 15 minutes until the dough is firm.
- Place the jars on a baking sheet. Insert a square of aluminum foil and add pie weights to each one.
- Bake at 350º for 35 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- For the lemon filling:
- Stir together the sugar and flour in a small saucepan. Stir in the boiling water. Stir the egg yolks. Add a ladelful of the hot mixture to the eggs and stir. Repeat a few times. Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and stir.
- Add the lemon juice followed by the butter. Cook over medium low heat until the mixture is thick.
- Use a ladle to transfer the lemon filling to the jars, dividing it evenly between the four jars.
- For the meringue:
- Place the egg white, water, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla in a medium size metal bowl. Place this bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Make sure that the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl.
- Use a handmixer to beat the meringue for 7 minutes. Use a pot holder to hold the bowl in place as the bowl will get very hot.
- After 7 minutes, remove the bowl from the saucepan. Wipe the bottom of the bowl dry and transfer the mixture to a standup mixer. Beat an additional 7 minutes. This may be done with the handmixer instead.
- Place a large round pastry tip into a plastic gallon freezer bag. Transfer the meringue to the plastic bag. Seal and pipe the meringue into each jar. Do not pipe over the top of the jar.
- Make sure that the Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar is completely cooled before covering it with the lid. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
Check out Gallo Family Vineyards store locator that spares you from driving all around in search of the perfect wine.
You can get more information on Gallo Family Vineyards by clicking here. While you are thinking about it, be sure to follow GFV on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Many thanks to Isabel Reis Laessig from Family Foodie for doing such a great job hosting this week’s Sunday Supper. Please be sure to look through all of the tempting Picnic wine pairing recipes that my fellow Sunday Supper family members have made.
Want even more wonderful ideas? Head over to Gallo Family Vineyards’ Picnic blog page.
Picnic Appetizers:
- 10 Deviled Egg Variations by Sunday Supper Movement
- Thai Spiced Chicken Meatballs with Peanut Sauce by Soni’s Food
Picnic Main Dishes:
- Baked or Grilled Tandoori Chicken Legs by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- BBQ Pulled Pork Picnic Sandwiches by Family Foodie
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Sandwiches by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- French Ham and Butter Sandwich (Jambon Buerre) by Shockingly Delicious
- Grilled Honey Chicken Kabobs by Life Tastes Good
- Italian Hoagie Style Pressed Picnic Sandwiches by Feed Me, Seymour
- Kimbap (Korean ‘Sushi’) by Curious Cuisiniere
- Picnic Sandwich Torte by Palatable Pastime
Picnic Salads and Sides:
- BLT Panzanella Salad by Casa de Crews
- Cold Chinese Peanut Noodles by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Lemon Chicken Penne Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Mason Jar Salmon Nicoise Salad by Simply Healthy Family
Picnic Sweets and Desserts:
- Banana Pudding Cups by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Blueberry Crumb Bars by Alida’s Kitchen
- Blueberry Peach Snack Cake by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Key Lime Cheesecake Crumb Bars by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Lemon Meringue Pie in a Jar by Desserts Required
- Simple Strawberry Pie by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Southern Fried Apricot Hand Pies by Magnolia Days
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
