Looking for a way to use up a bit of extra whey from cheesemaking? This lemon and whey meringue pie is a unique and delicious treat. The whey perfectly compliments the flavor of lemon.
Whey is a perfect replacement for liquid all sorts of dishes. Everything from soups to baked goods benefits from the richness of whey. In this recipe, whey replaces the water in the filling of a classic lemon meringue pie.
The result is a richly flavored pie that is sure to please your tastebuds.
Types of whey
There are actually several different types of whey.
- Sour whey comes from cheese made with citric acid or vinegar. It is quite sour and will add a bit more tartness to this pie.
- Sweet whey is made from a quick cultured cheese. The whey will taste sweet for the first 3 hours after draining. After that, it becomes more acidic. Storing sweet whey in the fridge will help slow the acidification, but only for a short time. Sweet whey can be frozen to prevent further acidification.
- Cultured whey comes from a long cultured cheese. It is basically sweet whey that is a few days old. It is sourer and more flavorful than fresh sweet whey.
All three types of whey will work in a lemon and whey meringue pie, but the flavor is best with fresh sweet whey.
If you are looking for more ways to use up whey, check out this post on how to use up extra whey.
PrintLemon and Whey Meringue Pie
The sourness of lemons in this traditional pie is complimented by the addition of whey. Lemon and whey meringue pie is a sweet, sour and delicious treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-8 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 x 9-inch pie crust
Lemon Filling
- 2 cups whey
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp butter
Meringue Topping
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Prebake the crust for 20 minutes. When the crust is finished, remove it from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350 F (180 C).
- Mix the whey, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and zest in a saucepan. Whisk in the egg yolks until well combined. Then add the butter.
- Slowly bring the filling to a simmer, stirring gently. Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 1 minute. After 1 minute it will have started to thicken. Pour the lemon filling into the pre-baked pie crust.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they form soft peaks.
- Gradually beat sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Dollop the meringue topping over the lemon pie.
- Bake the pie on the lowest rack in your oven (to prevent the meringue from burning) for 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely before serving.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- The sugar in the lemon custard filling can be replaced with your favorite alternative sweetener. However, sugar is essential for the meringue topping.
- The flavor of this pie is best with fresh, sweet whey. If you are using acid whey, then only add as much lemon juice as required to balance the acidity of the whey. Exactly how much lemon juice will depend on how acidic the whey is. The goal is to have a slightly tart flavor, without making the pie too acidic. Just taste it before you add in the egg yolks.
Keywords: traditional, treat, extra whey, winter, sweet
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