Lemon meringue slice recipe

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Our lemon meringue slice is made using only five ingredients and is best prepared the night before.

lemon meringue slice
(Image credit: Getty)
Serves8
SkillEasy
Total Time15 mins (plus 12 hours freezing time)
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories361 Kcal18%
Fat20 g29%
Sugars43.4 g48%
Saturated Fat12.1 g61%
Protein1.5 g3%
Carbohydrates44 g17%

This lemon meringue slice makes a delicious dessert and it uses just five ingredients. 

Make this up to three months ahead and keep in the freezer until you need a last minute dessert. We have used ready-made meringue nests but you could learn how to make meringue by following our easy guide. 

Ingredients

  • 175g (6oz) icing sugar
  • Finely zested rind and juice of 2 lemons
  • 284-300ml carton double cream
  • 90g (3oz) meringue nests or shells, roughly crushed
  • 150g lemon curd

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  • Line a 1.25 litre loaf tin with cling film. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl, add the lemon zest and juice and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cream to the bowl and then whisk until the mixture forms soft peaks. Fold in the crushed meringue.
  • Spoon a few teaspoons of lemon curd into the base of the loaf tin, then spoon on some of the cream mixture. Layer up small dollops of lemon curd and cream mixture. Cover the tin with cling film and freeze for at least 12 hours, or until it has frozen solid.
  • Remove the tin from the freezer and remove the cling film from the top. Upturn the loaf onto a serving plate and peel away the cling film. This dessert should be soft enough to slice straight from the freezer.

Top tips for making lemon meringue slice

To achieve clean slices, use a large, sharp chef's knife that has been warmed in hot water and dried. It should make it easy to slice through. If you’d like ideas on how to upgrade the flavours of the slice, read our tips below. 

What can I add to my lemon meringue slice?

Try adding a scatting of raspberries or blueberries for a gorgeous contrast of colour and pop of flavour. You could also add a little vanilla essence to the mixture or some limoncello if you want a boozy twist.

What can I serve with a lemon meringue slice?

Try serving with some extra crushed meringue for a little crunch. Alternatively, crushed ginger biscuits or roasted, chopped pistachio nuts make nice options.

How long does lemon meringue slice keep?

It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap well in cling film to avoid freezer burn. 

It’s nice to serve the lemon meringue slice on a long rectangular serving plate. One with a small rim is useful for collecting any melted mixture! We like the design of this one from John Lewis and think it will present the slice perfectly. 

Reactive Glaze Stoneware Rectangular Platter 33cm - View at John Lewis 

Reactive Glaze Stoneware Rectangular Platter 33cm - <a href="https://john-lewis-and-partners.pxf.io/c/221109/871855/12148?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=goodtoknow-gb&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.johnlewis.com%2Fjohn-lewis-reactive-glaze-stoneware-rectangular-platter-33cm-grey%2Fp6017906" data-link-merchant="john-lewis-and-partners.pxf.io"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View at John Lewis 

The glaze for this platter is applied by hand which means each one is unique. It’s dishwasher safe, microwave safe and perfect for everyday life. When you’re not presenting a spectacular homemade dessert on it, use it to store fruit or as a snacks platter for your next movie night. 

If you like this prep ahead dessert you should also try our lemon trifle. The flavours of our lemon meringue pie are hard to beat but if you want something less technical our lemon pudding or lemon drizzle cake are ideal. 

Food & Recipes writer

Sue McMahon is a former Food and Recipes Writer at GoodTo and Cooking Editor at Woman's Weekly. Her primary passion is cakes and Sue regularly travels the world teaching cake decorating. Her biggest achievement to date was winning the Prix d’honneur at La Salon Culinaire International de Londres beating over 1,200 other entries.