Southern 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.

SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan stir together the sugar, cornstarch and flour.
• Gradually add the water, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
• Reduce heat and cook and stir 2 minutes more.
• Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks.
• Pour egg yolk mixture back into remaining hot filling in saucepan.
• Bring to a gentle boil.
• Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the butter or margarine and lemon peel.
• Gently stir in lemon juice.
• Prepare meringue: In large mixing bowl combine 3 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar.
• Beat with mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating the meringue until stiff and glossy peaks form and all the sugar is dissolved.
• Pour hot filling into cooled piecrust.
• Spread the meringue over the hot lemon pie filling; carefully seal all around the edge of the piecrust to prevent shrinkage.
• Bake the pie in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
• Refrigerate 3 to 6 hours before serving.

SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Crush the digestive biscuits (putting them in a freezer bag and attacking them with a rolling pin works well).
• Melt the butter and add it to the crumbs. The mix should pack well.
• Pack it down to less than 1cm thick in the base of either a large tin or dish, or in cupcake or muffin cases in a muffin or cupcake tin.
• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius
• Separate the eggs.
• Beat the yolks with the juice of the 3 lemons and the zest of one of the lemons, until white and frothy.
• Add the can of condensed milk and beat until fully integrated and "gloopy".
• Spoon a layer of lemon mix atop the biscuit base(s).
• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then slowly add caster sugar. When ready, the meringue should be at the firm peak stage and lovely and glossy.
• Spoon meringue over the lemon mixture.
• Bake for 15 mins at 150 degrees C or until the meringue is gold on top.

MAGIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: In a mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and sugar until combined. Then, stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
• For the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the condensed milk, lemon juice, zest and egg yolks, reserving the whites for the meringue. Pour the mixture into the crust.
• For the meringue: Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and whip until peaks are stiff.
• Spread the meringue over the pie and seal to the edge of the crust. Bake until the meringue browns slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.