Sissy's Famous Lemon Meringue Pie
Cameo Culinary Club - Sissy's Famous Lemon Meringue Pie
Although lemon meringue pie might seem like a thoroughly modern culinary concoction, lemon-flavored pies have actually been around since Medieval times (but after a long day of fighting off pillagers and dodging the plague, what you were going to have for dessert probably wasn't your most pressing concern).
When the inevitable avalanche of fall's cinnamon and pumpkin desserts have your taste buds craving more tarty fare, this refreshing pie offers a welcome break.
For the tastiest, fluffiest texture, it's important not to overbeat the egg whites. As meringue bakes, air bubbles within the protein of the egg whites expand and swell. But beat the egg whites too much and the proteins won't be able to form the correct molecular structure, and the meringue could collapse during the baking process. This is about as complicated as the meringue process gets, so it's still a great pie for novice bakers. Bon appetit!
- Cameo Girls
Sissy's Famous Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 to 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice Oven 350
Serves: 1 pie
For filling:
- In a medium saucepan combine sugar, flour, cornstarch, and a dash of salt.
- Gradually stir in 1 ½ cups water.
- Cook and stir over med-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
- Remove from heat.
- Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue.
- Beat egg yolks slightly.
- Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot filling into yolks.
- Return all to saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil.
- Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in margarine and lemon peel.
- Gradually stir in lemon juice, gently mixing well.
- Pour hot filling into baked pastry shell.
- Evenly spread meringue over hot filling; seal to edge.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Cover and chill to store.
Makes 8 servings.
Meringue for pie:
- 3 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- Bring egg whites to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl combine egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar.
- Beat with an electric mixer gradually add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Beat on high until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks.
- Immediately spread meringue over pie.
Pastry for single-crust pie:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1/3 cup butter
- 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water
- In a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt.
- Cut in butter until pieces are the size of small peas.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork.
- Push to side of bowl.
- Repeat until all is moistened.
- Roll dough, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.