Lemon meringue pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 4-5 tbsp ice water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6-7 lemons)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make pie crust: cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse sand. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough just comes together. Form disk, wrap, chill 30 minutes. Roll between parchment to 1/8-inch thickness, transfer to 9-inch pie tin, prick with fork, blind bake at 375°F for 12 minutes until light golden. Remove foil and weights.
- Prepare filling: whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add lemon juice gradually, stirring to dissolve cornstarch completely. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Temper egg yolks: remove lemon mixture from heat. Slowly whisk hot filling into egg yolks in small bowl while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Pour tempered mixture back into saucepan and cook 1-2 minutes more over low heat, stirring continuously.
- Finish filling: remove from heat, stir in butter and lemon zest until butter melts completely. Pour filling into warm pie crust, smooth top, and set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Make meringue: beat egg whites and cream of tartar in stand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating on high speed for another 3-4 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is completely dissolved.
- Assemble and bake: spoon meringue over warm filling, spreading to edges and creating peaks with back of spoon. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until meringue is light golden brown on peaks. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 3 hours before slicing to set filling.
Inspired by Lasheeda Perry’s winning lemon meringue pie. This is a plausible recreation, not the chef’s original recipe.