Friday, May 27, 2011

Lemon Meringue Pie

I am a huge, like HUUUUGE, fan of chocolate. If you want me to try anything, just dip  it in some chocolate. Seriously.


But, as much as I love chocolate, I am realizing that there is more to the world of desserts than just white, semi-sweet, and dark.


Citrus has been slowly making its way into my dessert cravings. First, it was a bit of orange zest into a recipe. Then it was the addition of the zest and juice. Citrus really has a way of waking up flavors. But, the beauty of it is that it can also stand up perfectly well by itself.


Case and point - the lemon meringue pie. A wonderfully lemony dessert that can hold its own on the plate (not to mention, it doesn't leave me in a food coma after a slice - or two.) I didn't have to adjust this recipe at all, and the filling was so lemony - but not in an overpowering way. Light, fresh and amazing.


In the spirit of full-disclosure, I will say that i probably need to try making meringue again, as mine wept after a few hours. Oh well, I could just eat it with my eyes closed, and I would be none-the-wiser. :) Maybe you'll have better luck with the meringue than I did!



Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar

    Directions

    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.

      4 comments:

      The Honey Nut said...

      The pie turned out so pretty! I love the meringue on top :)

      Baking Ribbons said...

      I'm afraid to tackle meringue, but I like it. Maybe this summer I'll try. Like you, I was not a lemon fan for many years. Now I like almost any dessert with it. Still don't like lemon hard candy though....Your pie looks beautiful!

      oneordinaryday said...

      I always get those little condensation beads on top of my meringue. No worries. My sister always thought those were supposed to be there cause it always happens to my mom too. :)
      Your pie looks perfect to me!

      Caroline said...

      The Honey Nut - Thank you! The meringue is my favorite part, it's like a little marshmallow on top of the pie!

      Baking Ribbons, I am still a little intimidated by meringue, but, each time I figure I'll learn a little more about it. Even though this one wept, I'll try doing it a little differently, and hopefully it'll turn out even better! Thank you for the compliment on my pie!!

      One Ordinary Day, thanks for making me feel better about my condensation beads! Maybe I can start my own family tradition much like yours! At least I'm lucky that my family knows that even if it isn't pretty, it will typically still be tasty!

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