Lemon meringue pie
- 2 cups sugar;
- 11⁄2 cups plus 1⁄3 cup water;
- 3⁄4 teaspoon salt;
- 1⁄2 cup cornstarch;
- 4 eggs, separated;
- 1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- 3 tablespoons butter;
- Grated rind of 1 lemon;
- 1 baked 9-incb pie shell.
Instructions:
- The perfect lemon meringue pie is buttercup yellow, tart-sweet, with a white, gold-tipped meringue. The cornstarch thickening needs to be cooked completely so that it will not break down. Cornstarch gives a beautiful translucent quality to the filling, whereas a thickening of all-purpose flour is more opaque.
- In a saucepan, heat 11⁄2 cups sugar with 11⁄2 cups water and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with 1⁄3 cup water until smooth, and add gradually to the boiling mixture, stirring constantly.
- Cook until thick and clear, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a medium-size bowl, blend the egg yolks and lemon juice. Stir in a small portion of the hot mixture, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan and bring to just a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and lemon rind. Cover and cool to lukewarm.
- Preheat oven to 325 F. In a clean bowl, free of any grease, whisk the egg whites with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar, beating until glossy peaks are formed.
- Stir 2 rounded tablespoons of the meringue into the lukewarm filling. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Top with the meringue, spreading it over the filling evenly to the edge of the crust. Bake about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Chill at least 1 hour before serving; pie will cut into more perfect wedges when chilled.