Magic 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.

MAGIC LEMON PIE (1952)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 F
• 2. In medium sized mixing bowl, blend milk, lemon juice, lemon peel, and yolks until thickened. Turn into pie shell and set aside
• 3. Meringue: Whip the whites with cream of tartar until they hold a soft peak. Gradually whip in sugar (one Tbsp at a time) Continue whipping until the whites hold a firm peak.
• 4. Pile onto pie filling and seal to the inside edge of pie shell. Swirl the top as desired -- but don't play in it or let it sit too long because it will begin to "weep."
• 5. Immediately place in a 325 F oven and bake until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Cool before serving.
• 6. For those who don't want to eat raw eggs these are alternate directions found on another recipes: 1. Beat egg yolks; whisk in lemon rind, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Pour into prepared crust. 2. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). 3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy; gradually add sugar beating until stiff peaks form but not dry. Spread meringue on top of hot pie, sealing carefully to edge of crust. 4. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool. Chill before serving, if desired.

MAGIC LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Blend sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks together. Gradually add lemon juice, stirring until mixture thickens and is well blended. Pour filling into crust.
• In another bowl, beat room temperature egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, and continue beating until egg whites are stiff. Carefully spread meringue over filling, sealing the edges.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) until meringue browns, about 6 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate uneaten portions.

MOM'S MAGIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Blend milk, juice, and yolks until thick (5 minutes or so).
• Pour into pie shell.
• In clean bowl, beat egg whites with sugar to taste until thick (stiff peaks).
• Cover pie with meringue.
• Bake at 350 until meringue is browned slightly.
• (5-10 minutes).
• Chill and serve.

MAGIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the crust: In a mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until fully combined. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
• Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the condensed milk, lemon juice, zest and egg yolks. Pour into the crust. Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue over the pie and seal the edge of the crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meringue browns slightly. (Be sure to watch the pie while it's baking. Meringue can burn quickly.) Let cool slightly on a rack, then chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.

MAGIC LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In bowl combine sweetened milk, lemon juice, lemon rind or extract and egg yolks stir till it thickens. Pour in chilled pie crust.
• In bowl beat egg whites with tartar on high speed till soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar on med. speed 1 tbs. at a time. Beat 4 minutes or till stiff glossy peaks form.
• Spread over pie carefully sealing to edge.
• Bake 12-15 minutes till browned. Cool.

LOIS'S MAGIC LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Thoroughly mix crust ingredients and pack into a nine inch pie pan.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes and put aside to cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg yolks.
• Stir until mixture thickens.
• Pour into cooled crust.
• Add cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat until almost stiff.
• Add sugar gradually, beating until stiff and glossy but not dry.
• Pile lightly on pie filling.
• Bake at 325 until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
• Cool thoroughly.
• Hint: try to get the crust thickness very even and not too thick.