Ultimate Lemon Bliss Pie: A Tart and Fluffy Delight 🍋

Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe 🍋🥧

Description: The classic, tart lemon meringue pie. I’ve included techniques for assuring a crisp bottom crust and techniques to prevent the meringue from weeping. They work, and they’ll also work with a store crust if you prefer to use one. Lemon meringue is hubby’s favorite pie so I’ve been working on getting it right for a long time.

Servings: 6
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Instructions:

For the Pie Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt just to mix.
3. Add the butter and shortening and pulse just until coarse crumbs form.
4. Add the lemon juice and water and pulse just until moist crumbs form.
5. Scrape the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form a disk; wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough out to a 12″-13″ diameter circle.
7. Fold dough in half and gently lift it, transferring it to a 9″ pie plate.
8. Gently fit the dough into the plate and trim the edge with a 1/4″ overhang.
9. Fold the overhang under and crimp the new edge all way ’round.
10. Prick the dough, including the sides and corner, with a fork to prevent the crust from bubbling while baking.
11. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until crust is rechilled.
12. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is lightly browned.
13. Cool on a wire rack, and when cool, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.

For the Filling:

1. Combine cornstarch, cake flour, salt, and sugar in a saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, gradually add water, stirring.
3. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture boils, about 4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and temper egg yolks by gradually adding small amounts of cooked mixture.
5. When eggs are thoroughly warmed, add back to cooked mixture.
6. Cook, stirring, another 5 minutes over low heat.
7. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon rind, and butter.
8. Stir until well combined and smooth.
9. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and set aside while making meringue.

For the Meringue:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and cornstarch to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns clear.
3. Set aside and let cool.
4. With an electric mixer, break up egg whites on low speed.
5. When bubbly, increase speed and beat until they begin to turn white.
6. Beat in cream of tartar and vanilla.
7. Add sugar gradually and beat to soft peaks.
8. Add reserved cornstarch mixture a bit at a time, beating just to stiff peaks.

Finish:

1. Pour warm filling into cooled crust (sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs), and top with room temperature meringue.
2. Completely seal the filling with meringue, making sure the meringue touches the crust all the way ’round.
3. Pile meringue to a high mound in the center of the pie.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, until the meringue is evenly golden brown.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Enjoy this delightful Lemon Meringue Pie with its perfectly balanced tartness and sweetness! It’s sure to become a favorite in your household too!