Lemon Meringue Custards Food

LEMON CUSTARD IN MERINGUE CUPS

Steps:

• For meringue, in a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vinegar, vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. , Line baking sheet with parchment. Spoon egg white mixture into 8 mounds on paper. Shape into cups with a spoon. , Bake at 300° for 35 minutes. Turn oven off and leave door closed; let shells dry in oven at least 1 hour. Remove shells from paper. When thoroughly cooled, store in an airtight container. , For custard, in a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and remaining sugar and salt. 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., Beat egg yolks. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; gently stir in the lemon juice, zest and butter. Cool to room temperature without stirring. Chill. , Just before serving, fill meringue shells with custard and top with whipped cream.

LEMON CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks in a bowl until smooth. Add lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
• Return pudding to the heat; slowly stir in egg yolk mixture. Increase heat to high and boil, stirring constantly, for at least 2 minutes. Stir in butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour thickened custard into the pie shell.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine egg whites, remaining vanilla extract, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixture until a fluffy meringue forms. Spread meringue over the custard.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until meringue is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

LEMON MERINGUE CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Make the custard:
• In a food processor grind the sugar and the zest until the zest is chopped fine and transfer the mixture to a large saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk, the cream, and the salt and cook the mixture until it is hot, but do not let it boil. In a bowl whisk together the yolks and the whole eggs, add the hot milk mixture in a stream, whisking, and stir in the lemon juice. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into twelve 2/3-cup ramekins set in a large baking pan, add enough hot water the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins, and bake the custards in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 40 minutes, or until they are just set. (Alternatively, the custard can be baked in the same manner in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish for 1 hour, or until it is just set.) Remove the ramekins from the pan, let the custards cool completely, and chill them, covered loosely with wax paper, for at least 3 hours. The custards may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Make the meringue:
• In a small saucepan combine the sugar with 1/3 cup water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup until it registers 248°F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the heat. While the syrup is boiling, in a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. With the mixer running add the hot syrup in a stream, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, and beat in the lemon juice.
• Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, blot the top of the custard dry with paper towels, and pipe the meringue decoratively onto it. Sprinkle the meringue with the dragées, transfer the custards to a large baking pan filled with ice, and bake them in the top third of a preheated 450°F. oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is golden. The lemon meringue custards may be made 3 hours in advance and kept in the large baking pan filled with more ice.

LEMON-BUTTERMILK CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2-quart heavy saucepan; stir well. Add buttermilk;cook over medium heat,stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in butter.
• Combine egg yolks, lemon rind, and juice; beat well. Gradually stie one-fourth of hot mixture into yolks; add in remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until snooth and thickened. Spoon mixture into four 10-ounce ungreased custard cups.
• Beat egg whites in large bowl at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbls. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue ove custards, sealing to edge of each dish.
• Bake at 325F for 20 minutes or until meringues are browned. Cool completely before serving. Garnish if desired.