Evelyn Websters Lemon Meringue Pie Food

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust: Pulse the cookies, sugar and zest in a food processor until fine. Pulse in the melted butter until the crumbs are moist. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake until golden and set, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks in a heavy-bottomed pot until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1/2 cup water and set aside. Cook the lemon mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until just beginning to thicken. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Fill the pie crust with the filling, spreading it out evenly.
• For the meringue: Using a stand or electric hand-held mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and whisk again. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a separate small bowl. With the machine running, add the sugar mixture a little at a time and whisk until the meringue forms stiff peaks.
• Spread the meringue over the top of the warm pie, making sure to get it to the edges. Bake until the meringue is just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

EVELYN WEBSTER'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare any basic pie shell; preheat conventional oven to 350 degrees for browning meringue.
• To make filling, mix sugar, cornstarch and water in a 1-quart casserole. Cook in microwave oven at 100 percent power 1 1/2 minutes. Stir; turn microwave to 100 percent power and cook 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until thick.
• Beat a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolks; then stir egg mixture into remaining hot cornstarch and sugar mixture. Cook 45 seconds in microwave oven at 100 percent power. Blend in lemon juice, rind and butter. Pour into shell.
• To make meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl until frothy. Beat in sugar, a little at a time. Continue beating until stiff. Beat in vanilla.
• Place meringue onto filling, being careful to seal meringue to edge of crust. Put pie in conventional oven; brown lightly at 350 degrees.

MOM'S 5-STAR LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Beat sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a bowl until smooth; pour into pie crust.
• Beat egg whites with an electric mixer in a glass or metal bowl until foamy. Gradually add sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form sharp peaks; spoon onto the pie to cover completely.
• Bake pie in preheated oven until the tips of the topping begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

CLASSIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add 3 tablespoons cold water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Roll out dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer crust to pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned., Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and lemon zest. Gradually stir in lemon juice just until combined. Pour into the crust., For meringue, in a saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in cold water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is clear. Transfer to a bowl; cool., Beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat in cornstarch mixture on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edge to crust., Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the shell. Roll the pastry into a 12-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick, and fit gently into the pan. Tri the edge a half-inch beyond the rim, fold under and crimp or pinch to make a decorative edge. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze the shell for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Prepare the filling. Grate the zest from the lemons into a small, noncorrodable bowl. Strain in the lemon juice, then press through as much lemon pulp as possible.
• In a heavy, noncorrodable saucepan, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar until just mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and pulp, then the six tablespoons of butter.
• Cook, stirring constantly, over low to medium heat, until the mixture comes together and thickens enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat, allow to stand five minutes, then whisk briefly to smooth. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the frozen shell with aluminum foil, weight with beans or pie weights and bake for 20 minutes, or until set and dry looking. Remove the weights and foil, turn the heat down to 350 and continue baking until shell is golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool slightly, but leave the oven on.
• Spread the prepared filling in the shell and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the filling is just set. Remove pie and turn oven to 375.
• Make the meringue. Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and continue beating until rounded peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla.
• Spread the meringue over the filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust to make a seal. Swirl in a design with a knife or spatula and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.
• Allow to cool completely, from one to two hours, but do not refrigerate.