Sourful Springtime Treat: The 6 egg white Lemon Meringue Pie

Spring time has sprung and with it the light sweet treats of celebration parties and family dinners. Lemon Meringue Pie was a spring and summer dessert from My Mother's Kitchen .... the light texture of the meringue topping and tangy lemon filling. It's easier to prepare than it looks.... try out this recipe.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Portions: 8 slices from a 9 inch pie

Cooking notes: this recipe has three separate steps:

• Pie crust bottom crust only

• Lemon curd pie filling

• Meringue topping         

1. The bottom pie shell for lemon meringue pie needs to be baked and cooled before the lemon pie mix is poured into it and baked. Be sure to allow enough time to do this step.
2. The lemon curd pie filling recipe uses 3 large egg yolks. The meringue topping recipe uses 6 large egg whites. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites as you begin to prepare the lemon curd filling. If you are not going to prepare the meringue topping right after the filling is finished being cooked, set the egg whites in the refrigerator. Remember that the egg whites need to be at room temperature before beginning the meringue topping.
3. The filling can be prepared one or two days before and refrigerated, prior to adding the meringue topping. It must be brought to room temperature before pouring into the pre- baked pie crust. 
4. This recipe for lemon curd is sour, not sweet. To make a sweeter lemon curd, use less lemon juice.
5. The meringue should be prepared and baked the day that the pie is going to be served. It can be done several hours before or just prior to serving.

Equipment:

9 inch pie pan

Mixing bowls

Saucepan with thick steel bottom

2 cup measuring cups

Whisk

Grater for lemon rind

2 side dishes 

Egg beater or electric beater

Ingredients:

Lemon curd pie filling 

3 large egg yolks at room temperature

6 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons of grated lemon rind

3 tablespoons of butter

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/3 cup of cornstarch

1 1/2 cups of water

Meringue

1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar

6 large egg whites at room temperature 

8 tablespoons of white granulated sugar

Pie Crust

One prepared pie crust

Instructions:

Pie Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Roll out the pie crust to even the edges.
3. Place in pie plate.
4. Turn the edges of the pie crust under each other.
5. Crimp the pie crust evenly over the edges of the pie plate.
6. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork to allow moisture from the crust to escape as steam.
7. Bake the pie crust for 10-12 minutes to just cook the bottom of the pie crust. Do not allow the bottom pie crust to bubble up. Prick with a fork or knife if it starts to do so. To keep the pie crust from bubbling up there are a variety of bakers tools and techniques available. The simplest of these is to put a circle of parchment paper on the pie crust and cover with uncooked beans or rice. When the cooking time is finished, lift off the paper with rice or beans before filling with lemon curd. 
8. Pie crust must be cooled before filling with lemon curd.

Lemon curd pie filling

1. In a steel saucepan with a thick bottom, mix the sugar and the cornstarch. To this mix, slowly add the water, stirring to remove any lumps. 
2. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a boil, constantly stirring. The mixture should thicken as it begins to boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
3. Separate the 3 eggs, keeping the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Do not allow any egg yolk to mix into the egg whites as egg yolk stops the thickening process when the egg whites are whipped. 
4. Beat the egg yolks together. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly beat the egg yolks into the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Do not allow the eggs to cook into scrambled eggs.
5. Return to the heat when the eggs are stirred into the mixture and bring back to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 1/2 tablespoons of grated lemon rind, until well blended. The mixture should be thick, with a light yellow color. 
7. Pour the lemon curd mixture into the baked pie shell and set on a cooling rack to firm up.

Meringue

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
   
2. In a clean bowl separate 3 eggs into a dish of egg whites and a dish of egg yolks. Refrigerate the egg yolks. To these 3 egg whites, add the 3 egg whites from the lemon curd recipe, for a total of 6 egg whites. 
3. With an electric or hand egg beater, beat the egg whites together.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tarter and beat until the egg whites are frothy.
4. To the egg white mix slowly beat in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
5. Beat this mixture until the egg whites form stiff and glossy peaks.
6. When the meringue is stiff, spoon onto the lemon curd filling, working from the edge of the crust to the middle of the pie. Be sure to cover the edge of the crust to seal the pie.  Swirl the meringue with the bottom of a large spoon to form peaks and curls in the meringue. 
7. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Let the peaks of the meringue gently brown and remove from the oven. Do not allow the meringue to get too brown and over-cook, as this will cause the meringue to weep.
8. Set on a cooling rack where it is warm and free of drafts. The movement of cool air from an air conditioning vent or window can cause the meringue to fall.
9. Cut the cooled lemon meringue pie with a sharp knife.