Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie (Gluten Free)
A bright, zesty twist on a timeless classic — with zero fuss and all the wow.
I love a deconstructed dessert. They save time, reduce fuss, and somehow always look effortlessly elegant — whether served in a glass, on a plate, or in a jar.
Add a few herb blossoms from an overachieving garden, some baby mint tips, and a sprinkle of lime zest from that forgotten citrus at the bottom of the veggie box — and suddenly you have a show-stopping dessert that looks like it took hours (but didn’t).
And really, who doesn’t adore a lemon meringue pie? That sweet-tart curd, the fluffy toasted meringue… perfection. But let’s be honest — not everyone has the time (or patience) to make one from scratch, especially gluten free.
Who doesn’t love a good marshmallow meringue topped Lemon Meringue Pie, but who has the time to make one from scratch and gluten free?
That’s where deconstruction comes in. You’ll get all the flavour, texture, and beauty of the original, without the stress.
What Makes This Dessert Special
Deconstructing saves time and still delivers full flavor and texture.
Here, I’ve used my Quinoa and Ginger Anzac Biscuits (from this post) as the crumbly base, a homemade lemon curd (recipe below), and a marshmallow meringue taught to me by my pastry chef mentor at TAFE.
Everything can be prepared in advance — perfect for dinner parties, celebrations, or spontaneous dessert moments.
Lemon Curd Love
Lemon curd is one of those endlessly adaptable recipes. You can make it rich and buttery or light and sharp depending on your method.
I use the “hard and fast” method here, which gives a zesty, vibrant flavor that balances perfectly with the sweetness of the meringue.
Unlike the traditional egg-yolk-only method, I use whole eggs to keep the flavor clean and balanced. It’s also a fantastic way to use up surplus citrus — lemon, lime, orange, or even passionfruit all work beautifully.
It keeps for a month in the fridge, making it a wonderful make-ahead element for tarts, cakes, scones, or (let’s be real) straight from the spoon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Time-saving: Each element can be made ahead — no last-minute panic.
Zesty & bright: The sharp lemon curd cuts through the sweet meringue beautifully.
Naturally gluten-free: Thanks to the Quinoa & Ginger Anzac Biscuits (from this recipe)
Visually stunning: Torch that marshmallow meringue for a golden, toasted finish.
Customizable: Swap citrus, toppings, or presentation style — it always works.
This Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie is proof that fancy doesn’t have to mean fussy. It’s light, tangy, and full of charm — perfect for entertaining, celebrating, or treating yourself on a sunny afternoon.
Prep ahead, torch it when ready, and let everyone think you spent hours on it
Ingredients
Dessert Base
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2 Quinoa & Ginger Anzac Biscuits per person (recipe here)
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1–2 tsp Macadamia Oil (or Coconut Oil) per 2 biscuits
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Lemon Curd (recipe below)
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Marshmallow Meringue (recipe here)
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Zest of 1 lime (optional)
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Holy Basil Blossoms (optional, but so pretty)
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Baby Mint Tips (optional)
Lemon Curd
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3 Eggs
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2 Medium Lemons — zested and juiced
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½ cup Caster Sugar
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100 g Butter, cubed
Method
For the Dessert
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Blitz the Anzac Biscuits in a food processor until finely crumbed.
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Add macadamia oil and pulse until the mix begins to clump slightly.
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Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Spoon the crumble base into your chosen serving dish (jar, glass, or bowl).
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Pipe or spoon lemon curd on top.
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Add a swirl of marshmallow meringue.
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Using a kitchen torch, lightly scorch the meringue until golden and toasty.
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Finish with lime zest, basil blossoms, and mint tips.
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Serve and enjoy immediately.
For the Lemon Curd
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In a saucepan, combine lemon juice, zest, and butter over medium-low heat until melted.
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In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together.
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Gradually add the egg mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly.
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Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, or until thickened (don’t exceed 86°C or it’ll curdle).
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Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 month.
Serving Suggestions
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Serve in mini jars for a casual dinner party dessert.
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Layer in elegant cocktail glasses for a modern touch.
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Add a few edible flowers or mint sprigs for a garden-party vibe.
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Try different citrus curds — lime, orange, or passionfruit — for a fresh twist.
Storage Tips
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Lemon curd: Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
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Meringue: Best made fresh, but can be refrigerated for 24 hours before toasting.
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Biscuit base: Store crumbs in an airtight container for 1 week.
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Fully assembled desserts: Best enjoyed the same day for maximum texture contrast.
FAQs
Q. Can I use store-bought lemon curd?
Absolutely! Go for a good-quality curd from the supermarket or a farmers’ market if short on time.
Q. Don’t have a blow torch?
No problem — place the assembled desserts under a hot grill for 30–60 seconds to brown the meringue.
Q. Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes. Swap butter in the curd for a dairy-free alternative and use coconut oil in the base.
Q. What can I use instead of Anzac biscuits?
Any gluten-free cookie or crumbly biscuit will work — ginger or coconut-based ones are perfect.
Deconstructed Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients
- 2 Quinoa and Ginger Anzac Biscuits per person recipe here
- 1 – 2 tsp per 2 biscuits Macadamia Oil or coconut oil
- Lemon Curd recipe to follow
- Marshmallow Meringue recipe here
- Zest of 1 lime optional
- Holy Basil Blossoms optional but pretty
- Baby mint tips optional
Lemon Curd
- 3 eggs
- 2 Medium Lemons zested and juiced
- 1/2 cup Caster Sugar
- 100 g Butter cubed
Instructions
- For the Dessert:
- Place the Anzac Biscuits into a food processor and blitz into a fine crumb.
- Add the Macadamia oil and pulse to combine. The mix should be a moist slightly clumping crumble. Set aside.
- Place the meringue into a piping bag, ready for serving.
- Put the lemon curd into a piping bag ready to serve.
- Spoon a generous amount of the crumb onto a plate, bowl, jar, glass, teacup.
- Pipe some of the lemon curd onto.
- Pipe a good amount of the marshmallow meringue on top of the lemon curd.
- Scorch the surface of the meringue with a kitchen blow torch.
- Decorate with lime zest, blossoms and mint.
- Serve and eat and enjoy…….
For Lemon Curd:
- In a sauce pan over medium low heat add the juice and zest of the lemon and butter. Heat until the butter has melted.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk the eggs and the sugar until fully incorporated.
- Once the butter has melted add the egg mix.
- Turn the heat up to medium, and stir constantly until the mix has thickened about 8 minutes.
- Don’t heat above boil or 86C or the eggs will scramble.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a bowl or jar and keep in the refrigerator for 1 month.
Notes
- Left over lemon curd is delicious served on coconut bread, it is also a great addition to the middle of any sponge cake, vanilla butter cake, scones, macarons, or sweet muffins or cup cakes.
- Don’t have lemons but have limes, passion fruits, oranges, try using them or a combination of them instead.
- If you don’t have time to make the lemon curd, buy a good quality one from supermarkets or farmer markets.
- Don’t have time to make the meringue, top with some chantilly cream, whipped cream and icing sugar and a touch of vanilla, it will still be stunning and delicious.
- Holy basil blossom have a liquorice basil flavour, perfect for desserts.
- Unfortunately almost the only way to get holy basil blossoms are to grow (or make friends with someone who grows) it, but what a great excuse to add to that herb garden/plant pot.
If you loves this try one of these
Pannacotta, Tuile, Marshmallow, Strawberry Anise Syrup and a Gelee
Ginger and Quinoa ANZAC Biscuits
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