Lemon Meringue Pie

Usually I make lemon meringue pie using Yellow lemon pie filling… but here is a recipe for making the pie filling from scratch) It was a bit more time-consuming but it is not difficult.at all!

I made this beautiful pie crust… went to put it in the oven, the door hit my hand..obviously I was not paying attention..the pie plate fell & broke…the pie weights rolled everywhere… & it was a mess! I cleaned up & did not want to make another crust..so I made a graham wafer crust. It was kind of soggy under the pie, but the lemon filing was so good with a gentle lemon flavour! I will show you pictures of the pie crust from this recipe.. I think you should try it!

You can use any pastry recipe you like for the pie crust… or a graham wager pie crust.. or even buy a pie crust if you do not want to make one!

The recipe is from canadianliving,com  The Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie    

NOTE THAT THIS PIE TAKES QUITE AWHILE TO MAKE… 3 STAGES…PIE CRUST, FILLING & MERINGUE & HAS TO SET FOR 6 HOURS.. SO I MADE THIS PIE THE DAY BEFORE WE WERE GOING TO HAVE IT FOR DESSERT…. OR MAKE IT IN THE MORNING!

Here is the recipe 

Ingredients

Pie Crust

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg yolk *** save the egg white  you need it for the meringue

1 tsp lemon juice

ice water…

Lemon Filling

1 1/4 cup sugar

6 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups water

4 egg yolks *** save the egg whites…combine them with the egg white from the crust! you need these for the meringue

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 tbsp butter or non-dairy margarine

Meringue

5 egg whites…. the ones you saved from the pie crust & the filling!

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/3 cup sugar

Method

Prepare the Pie Crust

1. Whisk the flour & salt together in a bowl
2. Cut in the shortening … you can use a pastry cutter or 2 knives… cut the shortening in until the mixture looks like corse crumbs with some bigger pieces of shortening
3. Whisk the egg yolk & lemon juice together in a glass measure & add enough ice-cold water to make 1//3 cup. stir to combine the egg & water…a fork works well for this
4. Pour the liquid over the flour..mix to combine …use a fork to mix this into a dough…if you need to you can add more ice-cold water but add 1 tsp at a time.
5. Bring the dough together & form it into a flat disc
6. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes

While the pie crust is chilling, make the filling & preheat the oven to 400f to bake the pie shell & get a pie plate ready!

 Make the Lemon Filling  

***you need a whisk & a spatula 

Take all of the filling ingredients over to the stove close to where the saucepan will be…you do not want to walk away from the saucepan once you have started making the filling… if you have to make it quick!!! You do not want to burn the filling!

1. Use a heavy bottomed saucepan…
2. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch & salt together
3. Add the 2 cups water & mix well
4. Put he heat on medium-low & simmer this for about 3 minutes, whisking constantly!
5. Remove this from the heat
6. Add about 1/4 of this mixture to the egg yolks & mix well. ***This warms up the egg yolks so that when they are added to the saucepan the eggs won’t scramble!
7. Whisk the warm egg mixture into the pot with the remaining sugar mixture…
8. Cook this over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
9. Remove the saucepan from the heat & whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice & butter/margarine. Mix well
10. Use your spatula & scrape the cooked filling into a bowl to cool for at least 30 minutes. I think it actually cools longer since you have to let the pie shell cool before putting the filling in. If you are going to let this filling cool for a long time,,,cover it with plastic wrap but t\have the plastic wrap touching the filling…this stops a scum from forming on the top

While the filling is cooling, finish the crust

Make the Crust

1. Take your chilled crust out of the fridge, unwrap it & put it onto a lightly floured work surface
2. Roll out the pastry to 1/8 inch think into a circle
3. Put it into the pie plate
4. Trim the edges if needed to 1 inch over the edge of the pie plate
5. Fold the 1 inch of dough under to form a thicker crust at the edge of the pie
6. Flute the pastry all around
7. Line the pastry with foil & put pie weights in or dried bans
8. Now… my mom did not have pie weights…she pricked her pie crust all over which let air out & it baked flat so….if you do not have pie weights…don’t worry about it! Just prick your dough
9. Bake the pie crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes if using pie weights.. take the pie crust out of the oven, remove the foil & pie weights…use a fork to prick the dough all over & continue baking for another 10-12 minutes until the crust is cooked & golden….. if you are not using pie weights…just bake the crust for the full 20-27 minutes…
10. Remove form the oven & let cool on a cooing rack .. keep the oven on! you need it preheated to bake the pie in!

When the crust is cool & the filling is cool… scrape the filling into the pie shell & smooth the top..set aside while you make the meringue

Make the Meringue

1. Use the reserved egg whites… 5 of them
2. Beat them in the bowl of your mixer with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form
3. Beat the sugar in …slowly .. about a tbsp at a time until you have stiff peaks
4. Put the meringue onto the pie with a spatula… start around the edges to seal the pie, then add meringue into the middle
5. Use the back of a spoon to form lovely swoops & peaks in the meringue

Finish this pie!

Bake the pie in a 400f oven until the meringue is golden …takes about 5-6 minutes.. watch it because conceit starts to brown it does not take long for it to get dark!

LET THE PIE COOL COMPLETELY UNTIL SET .. THIS TAKES ABOUT 6 HOURS!

Enjoy!

Making the pie crust 

teh dry ingredients going into the saucepan

whisk in the water

cook

add some of the hot liquid to the egg yolks, mix then add back into the saucepan & whisk together

add the lemon zest

add the lemon juice

add the margarine

whisk together

put the hot pie filling into a bow to cool