Lemon Meringue Pie

For many years it was the meringue that eluded me. I could never get the peaks stiff enough. After much practice I have finally done it! I managed to make my first perfect meringue during Christmas and have been doing it ever since. Some tips: Firstly use a clean glass bowl that has no detergent residue in it. Secondly use a electric mixer on high. Thirdly, use a stabilizer like cream of tartar. You need just a pinch. Fourth, be careful not to get any egg yellows into the whites. This will doom you for sure!

This is what they mean about stiff peaks. 

I made this lemon meringue pie. My Mom would make it growing up and it always tasted fantastic. When I tried to duplicate it a few years back using Jell-o pie filling, there was something off with the taste. I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com for the filling and love it.

Here's what you need: For the crust I have fallen in love with Martha Stewarts pie crust. It makes two and I used one of them to make Pasties or pies filled with meat, potato, carrots,and peas. http://www.marthastewart.com/283515/basic-pie-dough  Form and crimp the crust around the pan, use dried beans or pie weights in the bottom of the pie dough our you will have it rising all over. You need to blind bake this crust at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees.


Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Filling

1 cup sugar
2 TBSP flour
3 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c. water
2 lemons juiced or I used 2-3 TBSP bottled
4 egg yolks (reserve whites in a separate bowl)

In a saucepan mix all of the ingredients except the egg yolks with a whisk. This is something you need to keep an eye one or it will clump. You are looking for the filling to thicken. Remove from the heat.  In a separate bowl add the egg yolks. Add about a cup of the sugar mixture into the egg yolks beating continuously. Then add the egg yolks into the rest of the sugar and continue stirring. This step is called "tempering."  If you don't do this you will have scrambled eggs. Turn the heat to medium low and bring up to a boil. Then turn it back off and let cool. Add to the cooled pie crust.

Egg White Meringue topping

4 egg whites
6 TBSP sugar
a capful of vanilla or 1 tsp.
1 pinch Cream of Tartar

Beat the egg whites on high with a pinch of Cream of Tartar. Gradually add in the 6 TBSP of sugar and vanilla. They will become frothy but are done when you can pull the mixer paddles out and make stiff peaks. Using a spoon layer the meringue on top of the pie filling. I used a knife to make the peaks. Just touch the pie with the knife and pull up. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on the counter for one hour and then stick in the fridge for a hour before serving.