Lemon Meringue Cups
Try your favorite lemon meringue pie in a different way…
Use oven-save dishes ramekins, or properly prepared small mason jars to prepare the individual servings. Or for a meringue and bake-free option, top with whipped cream instead!
Once the graham crust mixture is combined, gently press into the bottom of the cups. Do not pack down hard, you want it easy to spoon up when served.
Spoon over the lemon filling, then top each with whipped meringue, making sure it is pressed completely against the hot filling layer (to prevent weeping). Bake until meringue is lightly golden.
For canning (Mason) jars, because they are not made of tempered glass and can shatter with sudden temperature changes, you must set them in a hot water bath when used in the oven: Place Mason jars in a tall-sided roasting pan or baking dish and fill with hot water until the water level comes half way up the jars. Once the meringue is lightly golden, remove and let cool on a wire rack in a draft free spot.
If using whipped cream instead of meringue, once lemon filling has cooled top with a generous dollop of whipped cream (or dairy free whipped cream).
Lemon Meringue Cups
Ingredients
Graham Crust
- 1 ¼ cups GF graham crumbs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- ¼ cup sugar or less to taste
- Pinch salt
Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 1-3 Tbsp superfine sugar to taste
Instructions
- Depending on what type of (oven-proof) cups or dishes using, spoon enough of the graham crumbs into each to the depth of about 1-2”, and lightly tamp down the crumbs using a tart forming tool, your fingers or the base of a shot glass. Since you’ll be using a spoon to eat these, if the crust is pressed down too firmly it will make it hard to dig out.
- Prepare either filling as directed, then spoon the hot filling over each crust, to about a depth of 2-3” (or whatever you like – there is no wrong way to make this!).
- Beat egg whites until frothy in a large bowl then slowly add sugar until you reach your desired sweetness, and semi-firm peaks have formed. Start by spreading a thin layer of meringue over the filling, ensuring that there are no air pockets (as this can promote weeping), then top with as much meringue as you like. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes or until tips of meringue become lightly golden. Let sit and room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
How about banana cream pie with GF vanilla wafers in the bottom?!
or…chocolate cream pie with GF oreos in the bottom?!
OOHHH I can feel the pounds piling on! lol
Awesomeness????
Your recipes are wonderful, however, what does someone with celiac and diabetes do?
You can completely omit the sugar in the crust and meringue if you like, and rely on the sugar in the lemon curd the sweetness. In the lemon curd, the sugar doesn’t contribute much to the thickening ability of the mixture, so you can reduce it to taste. Here are some other ideas you can check out in this article: How to Substitute Sugar in Recipes
I understood that Mason jars are not designed for withstanding oven temperatures – has that changed??
Thank you!!
While I have never had a problem baking these in the oven for only 5 minutes, you are quite right that canning jars are not oven safe unless properly prepared (they are not tempered like Pyrex glass so are quicker to shatter during quick temperature changes). Here is what you should do:
USING CANNING JARS IN THE OVEN – BAKE IN A WATER BATH:
Place the (filled) Mason jars in a tall-sided roasting pan or baking dish and fill with hot water (so the water level comes half way up the jars). After about 5 minutes and the meringue is lightly golden, remove jars from water bath and place on a wire rack to cool (in a draft free spot).
Alternatively if you didn’t want to use meringue, once the lemon filling has cooled top it with whipped cream instead!
Thanks Judith!
Many thanks! Will certainly try these!
Use Splenda in recipe. Works wonders
Where can I find Gluten Free Graham Crackers?
Most major supermarket should carry the Kinnikinnick’s line – they are the most popular around here (https://www.kinnikinnick.com/index/glutenfree/finder/) You can always tell your grocery manager and they should be able to bring it in for you. If not health food/organic food stores will definitly have them. Or… you can make your own (this is my favorite recipe for Graham Crackers). On a personal note, you put a smile on my face when I saw your email, my mom had the same name as you – it’s not very common. She died in a car accident 3 years ago. Thanks for the memory 🙂