Mile High Meringue Pie

 

In the past, lemon has not been a fan favorite in our house. Citrus in general is not desired here, unfortunately. I keep trying, now more than ever, as I move into a new age category that has forced me to re-think my diet.

 

Recently, I have been experimenting with new recipes that contain more citrus, and look at that! They like it! Some are more enjoyed than others, but this one was a hit across the board.

 

 

I combined a few different recipes to make this work. It’s so important to make sure the curd doesn’t separate from the rest of the pie; it needs to be creamy and dreamy all the way. Same with the meringue on top. It needs to be whipped to create the peaks, but not overdone, which causes the meringue to slide off the pie. This is all about balance.

 

This recipe is awesome! It hits all the marks, and left the kids asking for more. So glad I finally put this together and got it into my recipe box. Total must try!

 

 

 

Mile High Lemon Meringue Pie

 

 

The Filling:

1 ½ c sugar

1/3 c and 1 Tbs cornstarch

1 ½ c cold water

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

3 Tbs butter

2 tsp lemon peel

½ c lemon juice

1 pie crust, fully baked

 

The Meringue:

6 egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

¼ tsp vanilla

3 Tbs sugar

 

In a saucepan, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Add the water and turn on the heat to medium. Stir constantly until it thickens and becomes translucent, about 10 minutes. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat. In a measuring cup, fluff the egg yolks and then add about a tablespoon of the heated liquid to the yolks, whisking constantly to avoid eggs curdling. Continue this process until the yolk mix is warm, about a third to half of the liquid. Then, add the yolk mix to the rest of the liquid and return it to the heat. Over a medium heat, add the butter, lemon peel, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Continue to stirring until it boils, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.

 

Heat up the oven to 375°F. Place the egg whites in a mixer with a whisk beater. Beat the egg whites until fluffy. Add the cream of tartar and vanilla. Continue beating and add 1 Tbs of sugar to the mixture every minute. Beat for about 7 - 8 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Once it’s cooled, add the filling to the pie crust. Pile the meringue on top, making sure to cover all the filling completely. Bake for about 10 minutes; when the meringue is a golden brown. Let cool at room temperature for about 3 hours before cutting. Do not refrigerate.