Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie is a favorite for the summer!  I've adapted my tart lemon curd recipe to make the delicious filling for this pie. Add that to a melt-in-your-mouth crust and top with meringue, and you've got yourself a winner! This is a pie that people ask for, and it sells quickly at bake sales.  I hope you enjoy!

Lemon Meringue Pie

Prep: 20 min        Baking Time:   15-20 min        Total Time: 45 min        Serves: 8-10

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Ingredients
  1 Pie Shell
Filling
  3 Lemons
  1½ cup Sugar
  1 stick Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  4 Eggs
  ½ cup Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
  1 teaspoon Vanilla
  Dash of Salt
  2 Tablespoon Cornstarch
  ½ cup Water
Meringue
  4 Egg Whites
  ¼ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  3 Tablespoons Sugar
  1 teaspoon Cornstarch

Directions

1. Blind bake pie shell and let cool. ( I bake my pie crust at 425°F for 8-10 minutes.)
   
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. We will cook the full pie at the end to brown the meringue.
3. Using a peeler, remove zest from the lemons.
   
4. Add zest and sugar in the food processor. Pulse until zest is fine. 
   
5. In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Add lemon sugar mixture. 
   
6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated.
   
7. Add lemon juice and salt. Mix well. It will look curd-like when you complete this step - don't worry!
8. Mix the cornstarch and water together. Set aside.
9. In a 2 qt saucepan, cook filling on medium heat until it begins to clear. (The curdled look with go away.) Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Add the cornstarch slurry - as little or as much as you want.  Add all of the mixture if you want the lemon filling to set up and hold its shape when cooled.  Stir constantly until filling thickens and becomes an opaque yellow. Immediately pour into pie shell.
10. To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and whisk again.
11. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Slowly add to the meringue while it is still mixing. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
12. Spread the meringue over the top of the warm pie filling, making sure to get it to the edges. (This keeps the meringue from shrinking and pulling away from the sides in the oven.) Spoon the meringue up and around to make swirls and peaks. 
13. Bake pie until the meringue is beginning to brown, 8-10 minutes.
14. Let cool completely before serving.