Spring is teasing us here in our neck of the woods. So, I bring some sunshine inside...
...and make some to wear as jewelry...
...Surely we could be persuasive if we were all to bake lemon meringue pies this weekend...
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lemon meringue pie[/caption]
...Or next, for Easter Sunday. Surely.
Lemon Meringue Pie
- grated rind and juice of 1 large lemon, about 1/2 cup
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 eggs, separated pinch of salt 1/8 tsp. cream of tarter
- Crust recipe
Make your favorite pie crust, and bake until golden. Mine fave pie crust is the Martha pate brisee, but most days, I buy and bake a frozen one!
In a saucepan, combine the lemon rind and juice, 1/2 cup of sugar, the butter and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to boil. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 cup cold water. Reduce heat to low, add the egg yolks to the cornstarch mixture, combine, and add slowly to the lemon mixture and slowly return to a boil (bringing temp to medium-high slowly), whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cover the surface with waxed paper to prevent a skin from forming, and let cool.
For the meringue, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tarter using an electric mixer, until they hold stiff peaks. Add the remaining sugar and beat until glossy. Spoon the lemon mixture into the pie shell and spread level. Spoon the meringue on top, smoothing it up to the edge of the crust to seal. Bake until golden at 400F, 12-15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.