Recipe: Loverly Lemon Meringue Pie

Loverly Lemon Meringue Pie
Source: Better Homes and Gardens; October, 2001

Be sure the filling is warm when you top it with meringue. Otherwise, you might get a wet layer between filling and meringue. Secondly, bake only 15 minutes. If the meringue cooks too long, sugary beads form on top.

1 recipe Pastry for Single-Crust Pie (recipe follows)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup lemon curd
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
5 Tbsp. sugar

Prepare Pastry for Single-Crust Pie. Set aside.

Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue, letting egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling, in a saucepan combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and dash salt. Gradually stir in 1 1/2 cups water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.

Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

Slightly beat egg yolks with a fork. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks. Pour egg yolk mixture into remaining hot filling in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon curd, butter, and lemon peel. Keep filling warm.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees F

Prepare meringue for pie.
In a large bowl combine egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until soft peaks form (tips curl).

Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed about 4 minutes more or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves.

Pour warm lemon filling into baked pastry shell. Use a pastry bag with a large star tip to pipe meringue in rows over warm filling, sealing to edge.

Bake for 15 minutes or until meringue begins to turn golden brown. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Chill 3 to 6 hours before serving. Cover for longer storage.

Pastry for Single-Crust Pie

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 Tbsp. cold water

In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all dough is moistened. Form into a ball.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Generously prick bottom and sides of pastry with fork. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil.

Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Food processor directions for Single Crust Pastry:
Prepare as above, except place steel blade in food processor bowl. Add flour, salt, and shortening. Cover and process with on/off turns until most of the mixture resembles cornmeal, but a few larger pieces remain. With food processor running, quickly add 1/4 cup water through feed tube. Stop the food processor as soon as all the water is added. Scrape down the sides. Process with two on/off turns (mixture may not all be moistened). Remove dough from bowl; shape into a ball.