Ina Garten’s Lemon Meringue Squares is made with unsalted butter, sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, and egg whites. This delicious lemon meringue squares recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 3 hours to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
This Lemon Meringue Squares Recipe Is From Go-To Dinner Cookbook by Ina Garten.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Crust:
- 12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose/plain flour
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the Filling:
- 1½ cups (300g) sugar
- 3 tbsp (25g) all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 tbsp (14g) cream of tartar
- 4 extra-large eggs
- 6 extra-large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
- 4 tsp lemon zest
- 1 cup (240ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 to 6 lemons)
- 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
For the Meringue:
- 6 extra-large egg whites
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ cup (150g) sugar
How To Make Lemon Meringue Squares:
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal baking pan.
- Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and ½ cup (100g) sugar together until combined. Stir in the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of warm water. In another bowl, mix the flour and ¼ tsp salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and mix until crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown, and leave the oven on.
- Prepare the lemon filling: In a large saucepan, whisk together the 1½ cups (300g) sugar, 3 tbsp (25g) flour, cream of tartar, and ½ tsp salt. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Set aside.
- Make the meringue: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt on high speed until foamy. Gradually add the ¾ cup (150g) sugar and continue whisking until the whites are glossy and stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes).
- Assemble the bars: Spread the lemon filling evenly over the baked crust. Top with the meringue, spreading it to cover the filling completely. Use a spoon to create decorative peaks on the meringue.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 10-20 minutes until the meringue is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Cut into 12 squares before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Room Temperature Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for the meringue. This helps them whip up faster and create stiff peaks more easily.
- Constant Stirring for the Filling: When cooking the lemon filling, stir constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling and ensure a smooth, thick consistency.
- Press Crust Firmly: Make sure to press the crust firmly and evenly into the baking pan. This prevents it from crumbling when you cut the squares.
- Spread Meringue Fully: When spreading the meringue, ensure it completely covers the lemon filling and touches the edges of the pan to avoid the meringue shrinking.
- Cool Completely Before Cutting: Let the lemon meringue squares cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. This helps the filling set properly and keeps the squares neat.
How To Store
Place leftovers Lemon Meringue squares in an airtight container. Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. The meringue may soften over time, but the flavor will remain intact.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bar (from a 9×13-inch pan, yielding approximately 24 servings)
- Calories: 220
- Total Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 65mg
- Potassium: 35mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 30g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Sugars: 20g
- Protein: 2g
Try More Ina Garten Recipes:
- Ina Garten Dark Chocolate Tart
- Ina Garten Fig And Ricotta Cake
- Ina Garten Mocha Icebox Cake Recipe
- Ina Garten Devils Food Cake
- Ina Garten Lemon Ginger Molasses Cake
Ina Garten Lemon Meringue Squares
Description
Lemon Meringue Squares is made with unsalted butter, sugar, all-purpose flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs, and egg whites. This delicious lemon meringue squares recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 3 hours to prepare and can serve up to 12 people.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
For the Filling:
For the Meringue:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal baking pan.
- Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and ½ cup (100g) sugar together until combined. Stir in the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of warm water. In another bowl, mix the flour and ¼ tsp salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and mix until crumbly. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown, and leave the oven on.
- Prepare the lemon filling: In a large saucepan, whisk together the 1½ cups (300g) sugar, 3 tbsp (25g) flour, cream of tartar, and ½ tsp salt. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-12 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Set aside.
- Make the meringue: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt on high speed until foamy. Gradually add the ¾ cup (150g) sugar and continue whisking until the whites are glossy and stiff peaks form (about 2-3 minutes).
- Assemble the bars: Spread the lemon filling evenly over the baked crust. Top with the meringue, spreading it to cover the filling completely. Use a spoon to create decorative peaks on the meringue.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 10-20 minutes until the meringue is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Cut into 12 squares before serving.
Notes
- Room Temperature Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for the meringue. This helps them whip up faster and create stiff peaks more easily.
- Constant Stirring for the Filling: When cooking the lemon filling, stir constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling and ensure a smooth, thick consistency.
- Press Crust Firmly: Make sure to press the crust firmly and evenly into the baking pan. This prevents it from crumbling when you cut the squares.
- Spread Meringue Fully: When spreading the meringue, ensure it completely covers the lemon filling and touches the edges of the pan to avoid the meringue shrinking.
- Cool Completely Before Cutting: Let the lemon meringue squares cool for at least 2 hours before cutting. This helps the filling set properly and keeps the squares neat.
Ina Garten Lemon Meringue Squares