Throughout my childhood, my mom made apple pies for almost every special occasion during the year. My birthday, my dad's birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Father's Day, Easter all merited a home-made, sweet and spicy apple pie. Clearly, our family knew what we liked, and my mother loved how excited we became when she pulled those pies out the oven. But when her birthday came around, we deviated from the norm. Because while my mother likes apple pie, she loves lemon meringue, and she deserved nothing less for her own birthday.
I think lemon meringue pies are the perfect spring-time desserts. Visually, they are bright and fluffy and unashamedly present. You can't deny a lemon meringue pie when you see it; the intensely yellow hue and the towering meringue are meant to be admired. Much like budding blooms, this pie makes people smile. And then the medley of tart and sweet wins you over with your first bite. The freshness of the lemon and the lightness of the meringue makes you almost forget that you're eating dessert, a slice of heaven would be a more adequate description. I spent a good deal of time looking at lemon meringue pie recipes before decided on the one below. And I was thrilled that the recipe I settled on was the same recipe my grandmother has been using for over 50 years. I've found that many pies are so sweet that the lemon flavor takes second stage; I wanted the opposite, and I feel like this recipe offers a filling that is sweet without being overpowering. When you are whipping your meringue, make sure to use a clean bowl and a clean whisk. Any bit of fat will ruin the meringue.
Holding my Grammi's Recipe
Lemon Meringue Pie
1 Single All-Butter pastry crust (dough chilled for at least an hour)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch plus 2 TBSP
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP freshly grated lemon zest
4 egg yolks
2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1. Prebake your pie crust (see previous pie posts for instructions)
2. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan, whisking to mix. Add the water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks and whisk the mixture well. Place over medium heat and cook while whisking NONSTOP until the mixture comes to a boil (anywhere from 5 to ten minutes). Once boiling, lower heat and continue to cook and whisk for another minute and a half. Remove from heat and stir in butter, one piece at a time. Pour the filling into your cooled pie shell and cover with plastic wrap directly over filling to prevent a film from forming.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the cream of tarter and salt. Gradually add in sugar, one TBSP at a time, and beat until your egg whites are thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, spread your meringue over the hot filling, spreading so it is domed in the middle and touching the crust at all sides.
4. Place the pie in a preheated 325 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator and cover with loosely tented aluminum foil if you want the lemon custard to fully set.
1 Single All-Butter pastry crust (dough chilled for at least an hour)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch plus 2 TBSP
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP freshly grated lemon zest
4 egg yolks
2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
1. Prebake your pie crust (see previous pie posts for instructions)
2. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan, whisking to mix. Add the water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the egg yolks and whisk the mixture well. Place over medium heat and cook while whisking NONSTOP until the mixture comes to a boil (anywhere from 5 to ten minutes). Once boiling, lower heat and continue to cook and whisk for another minute and a half. Remove from heat and stir in butter, one piece at a time. Pour the filling into your cooled pie shell and cover with plastic wrap directly over filling to prevent a film from forming.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in the cream of tarter and salt. Gradually add in sugar, one TBSP at a time, and beat until your egg whites are thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and beat briefly. Using a rubber spatula, spread your meringue over the hot filling, spreading so it is domed in the middle and touching the crust at all sides.
4. Place the pie in a preheated 325 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator and cover with loosely tented aluminum foil if you want the lemon custard to fully set.
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