Lemon Meringue Pops Food

LEMON MERINGUE PIE POPS

Steps:

• In medium bowl, beat pudding mix and half-and-half with whisk 2 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and yogurt.
• Pour about 1/3 cup mixture into each of 7 (5-oz) paper cups. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon graham crackers. Cover cups with foil; insert craft stick into center of each pop. (Or fill ice pop molds according to manufacturer's directions.) Freeze about 6 hours or until frozen.
• When ready to serve pops, in small bowl, beat marshmallow creme and 1 tablespoon of the whipping cream with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add remaining whipping cream, increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Remove each pop from cup. Spread top of each with about 2 tablespoons marshmallow mixture, forming meringue peaks.

LEMON MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the lemon extract.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe 1-inch meringues on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven but leave the meringues inside with the door cracked open until they are completely cool and dry, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

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 CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In small bowl, mix milk, vanilla, lemon peel and egg whites; set aside. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture, beating just until blended after each addition. Pour into pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 1 hour.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. With fingers, crumble cake into large bowl. Add lemon curd; mix well with spoon. Roll cake mixture into 1-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze about 30 minutes or until firm; keep frozen.
• In medium deep bowl, beat frosting mix and boiling water with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 to 7 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until stiff glossy peaks form.
• Remove several cake balls from freezer at a time. For each pop, insert 1 lollipop stick halfway into 1 cake ball. Dip cake ball into frosting, swirling to coat. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Sprinkle pops with sparkling sugar.