Lemon Berry Meringue Pie Food

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.

ULTIMATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the plain flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mix starts to bind - make sure the mix is not overworked.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into the flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don't worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 30 mins-1 hr (or overnight).
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the pastry case 'blind' (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside. Can be done a day ahead. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling. Mix the cornflour, golden caster sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually. Make the orange juice up to 200ml with water and strain into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
• Once the mixture bubbles, remove from the heat and beat in the butter until melted. Beat the egg yolks (save white for meringue) and the whole egg together, stir into the pan and return to a medium heat. Keep stirring vigorously for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens and plops from the spoon. (It will bubble, but doesn't curdle.) Take off the heat and set aside while you make the meringue.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add 100g of the golden caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking between each addition without overbeating. Whisk in the cornflour, then add the remaining 100g of sugar as before until smooth and thick.
• Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case. Immediately put spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling (if you start in the middle, the meringue may sink), then spread so it just touches the pastry (this will anchor it and help stop it sliding). Pile the rest into the centre, spreading so it touches the surface of the hot filling (and starts to cook), then give it all a swirl.
• Return to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and slightly coloured. Let the pie sit in the tin for 30 mins, then remove and leave for at least another 30 mins-1 hr before slicing. Eat the same day.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

LEMON MERINGUE BLUEBERRY PIE

Steps:

• For lemon curd and mousse:
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually add lemon juice, whisking until cornstarch dissolves. Whisk in yolks. Add butter. Cook over medium heat until curd thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 8 minutes. Transfer curd to medium bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd. Refrigerate at least 1 day. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Fold 3/4 cup lemon curd into whipped cream 1/4 cup at a time. Chill lemon mousse at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours. Keep remaining curd chilled.
• For blueberry compote:
• Combine 3/4 cup blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon peel, salt, and cinnamon in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Whisk in flour; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup blueberries. Transfer compote to small bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep compote refrigerated.)
• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Roll out pie crust disk on lightly floured surface to 13 1/2-inch round. Transfer crust to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edges under and crimp decoratively; chill 30 minutes. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until sides are set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans from crust. Bake crust until golden and cooked through, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer crust to rack and cool completely.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of remaining lemon curd over bottom of crust. Using slotted spoon and leaving most of juices behind, spoon 3/4 cup blueberry compote evenly over curd. Drop lemon mousse in dollops over blueberries; spread to cover berries completely. Using slotted spoon, spoon remaining blueberries over mousse. Chill pie while preparing meringue.
• For meringue:
• Whisk egg whites and sugar in large metal bowl to blend. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water); whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is very warm to touch, about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until thick and fluffy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with large (about 3/4-inch) plain tip. Pipe meringue decoratively over top of pie, leaving 1-inch plain border to expose some of mousse and blueberries. Using pastry torch, singe meringue until golden. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)

RASPBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Roll out the pastry and line a deep 23cm loose-based tart tin. Line the pastry with baking paper, fill with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes, then lift out the paper and bake again for a further 10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and looks dry. Cool. Turn the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• Meanwhile, put the raspberries in a pan with the orange zest and juice and heat until the raspberries start to give off their juice. Add the sugar and stir it in. Taste the juice and add more sugar if you need to, then push the lot through a sieve into a clean pan. Add a few tbsp of the mix to the cornflour and mix it until there are no lumps. Stir this into the pan. Turn on the heat and whisk the mixture until it starts to bubble and thicken. Add the butter, off the heat, and whisk it in, then whisk in the egg yolks. Put the pan back on the heat and whisk until the mixture thickens. Allow to cool.
• Spread the lemon curd onto the base of the tart and then spoon the raspberry mixture on top. To make the meringue, whisk the eggs whites to soft peaks and then beat in the sugar in 3 batches and keep beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Spoon or pipe the meringue onto the raspberry mixture and bake the tart for 20 minutes, or until the meringue is crisp and lightly browned. Cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours before trying to remove it from the tin, or slice it.

LEMON-BERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Prehest oven to 350, prebake the crust following package directions.
• in a medium saucepan, add water and lemon zest and juice. In a seperate bowl combine flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar. Slowly stir flour mixture into warming lemon water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until it reaches a boil. Stir in butter. In 2 small bowls, seperate eggs. Whisk egg yolks, and add 1/2 of lemon sugar mixture to bowl and whisk. Add back the eggs into the sugar mixture. Stir constantly and bring to a boil until it thickens.
• Spread thawed berries on the bottom of the cooked pie shell. Pour lemon filling over berries. Swirl reserved berry liquid onto the top of lemon filling, use a knife to cut swirls.
• In a large glass or metal blow, whip egg whites and 1 teaspoons reserved berry liquid, until foamy. Slowly add sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the adges at the crust.
• Place on a cookie sheet and bake 17-20 minutes. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack and then cool for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
• ***Can be made and is great without meringue topping.add cool whip instead!

CHERRY-LEMON MERINGUE MINI PIES

Steps:

• Make the cups: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. Combine the meringue cookies and flour in a food processor; process until the mixture is in fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each of the prepared muffin cups. Using the back of a measuring tablespoon, press the mixture firmly into the bottoms and sides of the cups. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately press each cup with the back of the tablespoon. Cool the cups in the pan on a rack. Make the filling: Combine the pudding mix and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the lemonade and egg yolks. Continue to whisk over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons lemon filling into each cooled meringue cup. Top each with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling. Chill for about 2 hours, or until the filling is set. If desired, top with whipped cream. Serve the mini pies chilled or at room temperature.
• Photograph by Antonis Achilleos