Lemon Meringue Pie

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Everyday Food, September 2009

• Yield Serves 8

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Ingredients

• Our Favorite Pie Crust
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup cornstartch
• 8 large eggs, whites only
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit a homemade or store-bought pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate; line crust with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Carefully lift and remove paper with pie weights and let crust cool.
   
2. Prepare Lemon Curd through step 1. Whisk together 1 cup cold water and 1/4 cup cornstarch add to lemon mixture along with butter in step 2 and continue as directed. Do not chill curd; pour directly into cooled crust and smooth top. Refrigerate until chilled and set, 3 hours (or up to 1 day).
   
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Pile meringue on pie, making sure it touches the crust all around. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
   

Lemon Meringue Flowers

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   View Photo

These simple floral meringues are a perfect pick for spring. And with bright bursts of lemon, they taste as sunny as they look.Forming these blooms is a cinch. Don't worry if the petal points look a little messy at first -- the candied peel at the center of each flower will cover any flaws.To package the cookies as a gift, print this grass design onto card stock. Slide it into a cellophane bag, add meringues, and you've got a sweet little package.

Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• Salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 40 squares (1/2 inch each) candied lemon peel (1/2 ounce; kingarthurflour.com)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk egg whites, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until foamy. Slowly whisk in sugar. Whisk until stiff peaks just begin to form. Fold in lemon zest.
   
2. Transfer mixture to a pastry
   bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain
   round tip. Pipe forty 5-petaled
   1 1/2-inch flowers onto parchment-lined
   baking sheets. (For each
   petal, pipe a small mound of
   meringue, and drag it into center
   to form a teardrop shape. Repeat
   4 times, working in a circle.)
   Place a candied lemon square
   in center of each flower.
   
3. Bake until meringues are
   crisp and lift off parchment
   easily, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Let cool.
   

Cook's Note

Meringues can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Lemon Meringue Parfaits

This refreshing icy treat is inspired by one of our favorite old-fashioned pies.

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Ingredients

• 1 pint lemon sherbet
• 2 large egg whites
• Salt
• 1/3 cup sugar

Directions

1. Divide sherbet among four 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups; cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until very firm, at least 2 hours.
   
2. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar (about 1 tablespoon every 20 seconds); continue beating until peaks are stiff and glossy.
   
3. With a flexible spatula, mound meringue on sherbet; swirl and spread to edges of ramekins with the back of a spoon. Place on a baking sheet; bake until meringue is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.