Meringue Crust Food

MERINGUE CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until soft peaks form. Add vanilla, and slowly beat in sugar until very stiff and glossy. Spread mixture into a 9 inch pie plate to form a shell.
• Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Turn oven off, and leave meringue in oven for 1 hour. Cool.

BASIC MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Beat egg whites in medium bowl with electric mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until sugar is dissolved and stiff, glossy peaks form.
• Spread over hot pie filling in decorative swirls.
• Bake pie in preheated 425°F (220°C) oven until tips of meringue are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Makes topping for a 9-inch (23 cm) pie.

ULTIMATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 110C/ 100C fan/gas ¼.
• Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner or parchment paper (meringue can stick on greaseproof paper and foil).
• Tip 4 large egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.
• Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It's important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later. However, don't over-beat. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Sift one third of the 115g icing sugar over the mixture, then gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.
• Scoop up a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture. Using another dessertspoon, ease it on to the baking sheet to make an oval shape. Or just drop them in rough rounds, if you prefer.
• Bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours in a fan oven, 1 ¼ hours in a conventional or gas oven, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath and are a pale coffee colour.
• Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.) Serve two meringues sandwiched together with a generous dollop of softly whipped double cream.

GOOD MERINGUE

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until mixture forms stiff peaks.

LEMON MERINGUE ICE CREAM PIE

Steps:

• For the lemon curd: Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Melt butter in a medium metal bowl set over a large pot of simmering water.
• Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel and salt. Gradually whisk in eggs yolk mixture. (Thin stream and whisk constantly, be careful not to cook the eggs. May want the egg yolks at room temperature before beginning this step.).
• Continue cooking and whisking until thick and thermometer reads 178-180 degrees F, about 8 minutes. (I was unable to get my mixture above 162, even after turning water up to boiling and cooking for 14 minutes, but it seemed thick, so I stopped for fear of over cooking, and it turned out fine.).
• Transfer curd to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap pressed down to the surface. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours.
• NOTE: Curd can be made up to 2 days ahead.
• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix together pecans, sugar and butter in a medium bowl until moistened. Press into a 9-inch glass pie dish--mixture will be crumbly. (I used a 10-inch glass pie dish.).
• Bake crust until lightly toasted, about 12 minutes. Crust will slip down the sides of the dish. Use the back of a spoon to press crust back into place.
• Cool crust on a rack. Freeze crust for 30 minutes.
• Dollop 1 1/2 cups of the softened ice cream into the bottom of the crust and spread into an even layer. Spread the lemon curd over the ice cream and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. (Note: I froze after putting in the first ice cream layer, too, for about 30 minutes.).
• Spread the additional 1 1/2 cups of softened ice cream over the curd and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
• For the meringue: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar. With mixer running, gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue over pie, swirling decoratively.
• NOTE: All steps above can be done up to one day ahead of time. Freeze pie until ready to brown the meringue.
• To finish the pie, using a kitchen butane torch, toast the meringue until golden in spots or place pie in a preheated 500 degree F oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching to prevent burning (about 3 minutes). (I used the oven method.).
• Cut pie into wedges and serve immediately.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Pie Crust: Preheat oven to 425°; in a food processor pulse the flour, sugar and salt just to mix; add the butter and shortening and pulse just until coarse crumbs form; add the lemon juice and water and pulse just until moist crumbs form.
• Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a disk; wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough out to a 12"-13" diameter circle; fold dough in half and gently lift it, transferring it to a 9" pie plate; gently fit the dough into the plate and trim the edge with a 1/4" overhang.
• Gently fold the overhang under and crimp the new edge all way'round; prick the dough, including the sides and corner, with a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling while baking; refrigerate 15 minutes or until crust is rechilled.
• Bake 10-13 minutes or until bottom of crust is lightly browned; cool on wire rack; when cool, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.
• Filling: Combine cornstarch, cake flour, salt and sugar in a saucepan; over medium heat, gradually add water, stirring; continue to cook and stir until mixture boils, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and temper egg yolks by gradually adding small amounts of cooked mixture; when eggs are thoroughly warmed, add back to cooked mixture; cook, stirring, another 5 minutes over low heat.
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon rind and butter; stir until well combined and smooth; lay plastic wrap on surface and set aside while making meringue.
• Meringue: Preheat oven to 325°; in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and cornstarch to a boil, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and turns clear; set aside and let cool.
• With an electric mixer, break up egg whites on low speed; when bubbly increase speed and beat until they begin to turn white; beat in cream of tartar and vanilla; add sugar gradually and beat to soft peaks; add reserved cornstarch mixture a bit at a time; beat just to stiff peaks.
• Finish: Pour warm filling into cooled crust (sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs), and top with room temperature meringue; completely seal filling with meringue, making sure meringue touches the crust all the way'round; pile meringue to a high mound in center of pie; bake for 20 minutes, until meringue is evenly golden brown; cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Put the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until it has the texture of breadcrumbs. If using your hands, rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the sugar, salt and egg yolks, and stir together with a knife.
• Press the mixture together into a ball. If the pastry feels very dry, add the cream, bit by bit, until it comes together.
• Press the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
• For the lemon curd: Meanwhile, in a large, heat-proof bowl, whisk the eggs with the yolks and sugar until the mixture is light and yellow. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk in the lemon juice. Cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and butter until melted and mixed in. Transfer to a bowl, let cool completely, and then refrigerate with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface.
• Blind bake the crust: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about 1/4-inch thick; fit into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges.
• Place a piece of parchment paper into the pie crust and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until the crust is starting to set and the edges are browning, 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans and continue baking until completely golden and crisp looking, another 10 minutes. If the edges brown before the center cooks, cover them with some foil. Let cool completely.
• At least 3 hours before you are ready to serve, add the lemon curd to the pie shell and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Put the egg whites and sugar into a large bowl set over a double boiler. Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm.
• Pour the egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add the vanilla. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Turn the speed to low and continue to beat until cool, about 10 minutes.
• Top the pie with the meringue by either piping with a pastry bag or spreading with an offset spatula to form peaks. Use a pastry torch to brown the meringue and serve.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE WITH GRAHAM CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 375°. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie plate. Stir first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Gradually add butter, stirring until moist clumps form. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake crust until golden brown and firm to touch, about 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• For filling:
• Meanwhile, whisk sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in lemon juice. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking to blend well after each addition. Stir in finely grated lemon peel. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until filling thickens and boils. Remove from heat; whisk to smooth if necessary. Transfer filling to prepared crust. Smooth top.
• For meringue:
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and coarse salt in large bowl until frothy. With mixer running, gradually beat in sugar. Continue beating until stiff and glossy.
• Spread meringue over warm filling, sealing meringue to crust at edges. Using spatula, form peaks and swirls in meringue. Bake pie until meringue is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack.
• Cut pie into wedges and serve with blackberry sauce.

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.