Lemon Meringue Slice Sampita Food

SERBIAN MERINGUE SLICES (SAMPITA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, sandwich a puff pastry sheet, that has been pierced throughout with a fork, between two cooling racks. This will keep the pastry flat but still flaky. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Repeat with second puff pastry sheet. Let cool completely.
• To make the meringue filling: In a medium saucepan, boil sugar and water without stirring until thick and syrupy, about 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to touch the crystalized sugar on the sides of the pan with a mixing spoon and stir it into the syrup because it would make the syrup grainy.
• In a stand mixer or heatproof bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and very slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly. After all the sugar syrup has been added, beat for another 5 minutes.
• Immediately pour the filling over one of the pastry layers. Place the other pastry layer on top and let it cool completely. Then refrigerate until ready to serve. For easier slicing, use a damp serrated knife. Cut into rectangles. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

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.

SAMPITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325. In a 5-quart stand-mixer bowl, combine the yolks, sugar and vanilla, and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until the mixture is very pale and fluffy, about 6 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to low, combine the milk and oil in a cup and add to the yolk mixture in a steady stream.
• Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl, and gently fold into yolks just until combined.
• Line a greased 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan with greased parchment (or dust with a little flour). Pour in the batter, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake in the pan until just warm, run the tip of a knife around the edge, then remove cake to a platter or baking sheet.
• Make the meringue: Thoroughly clean and dry the mixer bowl and whisk attachment, and set up the mixer. Place the sugar in a heavy, large saucepan, then gently pour in the water. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil without stirring. If sugar splashes on the sides of the pan, clean it off with a wet pastry brush. Boil syrup to soft-ball stage (235 degrees) until it becomes visibly thicker, with slower, bigger bubbles, 5 to 7 minutes after it comes to a full boil. Remove the pan from heat, and let cool for 2 minutes.
• While the syrup cooks, add the egg whites, vanilla and salt to the mixer bowl and beat on low speed for 2 minutes, and then medium for another 4 to 5, or until the egg whites hold fluffy, stiff peaks. (Adjust the heat under the syrup or turn off the mixer longer than the other.)
• With the mixer running on medium-high, slowly pour the hot syrup into the egg whites, avoiding the whisk. The meringue will come almost to the very top of a 5-quart bowl. Continue beating the meringue after all the syrup is incorporated until it cools to just warm (test by touching the mixer bowl), 15 to 20 minutes.
• Spread meringue evenly over and around the sides of the cake, and top with chocolate shavings. Let rest, refrigerated, for at least 3 hours. It will be rich and gooey, but sliceable. After an overnight rest, the sampita will be fluffier and less gooey and will slice more cleanly. Serve with Turkish or other strong coffee.