Mary Berry Biscuit Base Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon meringue pie isn’t shy.
It’s bright, sweet, sharp, and impossible to miss when it’s sitting on the table.
Mary Berry’s Biscuit Base Lemon Meringue Pie makes it even better — swapping fiddly pastry for a buttery biscuit crust that’s a dream to work with.

If you love a pie that looks impressive but doesn’t take a pastry chef’s diploma to pull off, this one’s for you.

Why This Works So Well

The biscuit base is a shortcut, but a smart one.
Crushed biscuits mixed with butter and just a hint of egg white press down into something that holds together beautifully after baking — crisp and strong enough to carry the heavy lemon and meringue layers.

The filling uses cornflour to thicken the lemon juice and water, which gives you a silky, sliceable curd that doesn’t ooze all over the place when you cut it.

As for the meringue, adding sugar slowly and finishing with a touch of cornflour means you get stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape without shrinking or weeping later.

Honestly, the real trick?
Each part supports the next without fighting it. Crust holds, filling sets, meringue sits proud.

Ingredients (And Why They Matter)

• Plain Sweet Biscuits: Like Marie biscuits or Digestives. You want something mild but crunchy — too much sugar and the base turns sticky.
• Unsalted Butter: Brings the base together without adding unexpected saltiness.
• Egg White (for base): Just a splash gives the crumb crust extra strength once baked.
• Caster Sugar: Dissolves easily into both the curd and the meringue without leaving any graininess.
• Cornflour (Cornstarch): Crucial for that silky lemon curd texture and for keeping the meringue stable.
• Lemon Juice + Zest: The real stars. Use fresh lemons — bottled juice just doesn’t sing the same way.
• Egg Yolks: They give the curd its smooth, rich body.
• Egg Whites (for meringue): Cold at first, then whipped into big, dramatic peaks.

How to Make It

1. Prep the Base
Turn the oven to 180°C (or 160°C fan) — standard baking move.

Blitz the biscuits into fine crumbs. If you’re doing it by hand with a rolling pin, it takes a little longer, but it’s satisfying in a weird way.

Whisk the egg white till it’s just a little foamy. Stir it into the melted butter.
Mix that into the crumbs until it feels like damp sand — if you squeeze a handful, it should hold together lightly.

Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch removable tart tin. You’ll think it’s too crumbly, but trust the process. It firms up once baked.

Slide the tin onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Let it cool while you get on with the filling.

2. Make the Lemon Filling
In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cornflour, and a pinch of salt.

Whisk in the lemon juice and water gradually. Keep whisking once it’s over the heat — medium flame — until it thickens up and bubbles start popping.

Take it off the heat. Stir in the butter and lemon zest until melted.

Now for the fast part:
Whisk the egg yolks in quickly so they blend smoothly into the warm lemon gel — you don’t want little bits of scrambled egg floating around.

Pop it back onto the heat for about a minute, just enough to hit 71°C (160°F).

Pour the lemon filling straight into the cooled base. Let it sit for about half an hour to settle a bit, but not go cold.

3. Make the Meringue
Whip the cold egg whites in a big clean bowl (no grease, or they’ll never whip right).

When they hit soft peaks, sift in the cornflour.

Now the slow patience part: add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating between additions.
Don’t rush it. This slow addition helps build those stiff, glossy peaks.

Scrape the bowl down once or twice. Beat until you can rub a bit between your fingers and not feel any grains.

Pile the meringue onto the warm lemon filling. Spread it out to seal the edges — you want the meringue touching the crust all the way around, like tucking in a blanket.

Swirl or spike the top however you like.

4. Bake and Cool
Bake the pie at 180°C for about 15–20 minutes — you’re looking for lightly toasted peaks, not a dark crust.

Let it cool for 2 hours at room temp, then chill in the fridge (uncovered) for a good 3–4 hours so it firms up enough to slice cleanly.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

What Went Wrong	Why It Happens	How to Fix It
Base falls apart	Not packed down hard enough	Use a glass to press crumbs firmly
Meringue leaks water	Meringue added to cold filling	Add meringue while filling is still warm
Soggy crust	Base underbaked before filling added	Always pre-bake biscuit bases
Grainy meringue	Sugar added too fast	Go slow, one tablespoon at atime

Serving Suggestions and Storage Tips

• Serve with: A handful of raspberries, a dusting of icing sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream if you’re feeling extra.
• Storage:
  • Fridge: Keeps beautifully for 2–3 days covered lightly.
  • Freezer: You can freeze the pie without meringue — freeze the crust and filling, then top fresh later.
• Reheating:
  • Honestly, best served cold. If you must, a few minutes at low oven heat will warm it without wrecking the meringue.

A Quick Bite of History

Traditional lemon meringue pie goes way back, but the biscuit base twist showed up more recently — giving home bakers a shortcut that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.
It’s lighter, snappier, and makes citrus shine even brighter against that buttery crunch.

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Banoffee Pie
• Mary Berry Rhubarb And Ginger Crumble
• Mary Berry Buttermilk Scones