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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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nice pie Ingredients:
mile high lemon meringue secrets |
lemon meringue pie may be an american classic, but it can be tricky to prepare. there’s the crust with all its issues, then the tart filling and the meringue itself, which is all too prone to weeping. and that topping is never, ever as tall and fluffy as we would like. we wanted to figure out how to make a perfect lemon meringue pie with a sky-high topping. here’s what we discovered |
make the meringue with a hot sugar syrup (what the professionals call italian-style meringue). this ensures that the meringue is cooked through and stable enough to be piled high on top of the filling. the addition of a little cream of tartar to the egg whites while mixing also helps to stabilize the meringue.flavor the filling with both lemon zest and lemon juice for the brightest citrus flavor. remember to strain the filling to remove the zest, which would mar the otherwise silky smooth filling.use a rubber spatula to spread the meringue over the filled pie, making sure to stick the meringue to the edge of the pie crust to prevent the topping from shrinking. once all the meringue is on the pie, use the spatula to make the spikes and peaks of meringue. |
* all-purpose flour, for dusting |
* pate brisee (pie dough) for one single 9 inch pie crust |
* 1 large egg |
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream |
* 1/3 cup cornstarch |
* 1/3 cup sifted cake flour |
* 1/4 teaspoon salt |
* 1 1/4 cups sugar |
* 5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten |
* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice |
* 2 tablespoons lemon rind |
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces |
* 7 large egg whites |
* 3/4 cup sugar |
* 1/4 teaspoon salt |
Directions:
1. 1.Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch, and use to line a 9-inch pie tin. Crimp the edges decoratively. Chill until firm. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream to make a glaze. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork, brush the top edges with the glaze, and line with parchment paper. Weight the shell with pie weights or dried beans, and bake until the edges begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove paper and weights; continue baking until golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes more. Let cool.
2. 2.To make filling, combine cornstarch, cake flour, salt, and sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 2 cups cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, about 4 minutes.
3. 3.Remove the pan from heat. Temper egg yolks by beating a small amount of hot mixture into the yolks before adding them to pan. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
4. 4.Remove the pan from heat, and whisk in the lemon juice and rind. Add the butter one piece at a time. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, and let cool.
5. 5.Pour the filling into the cooled shell and refrigerate, covered with aluminum foil, until firm, about 1 hour.
6. 6.To make the meringue, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heat-proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water; beat until warm and sugar is dissolved. Remove bowl from heat; whip into stiff peaks.
7. 7.Spread the meringue over pie so that it touches crust all around. Broil until brown, about 2 minutes, watching constantly. Serve at room temperature.
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