For Jewel: The BEST Lemon meringue Pie recipe!

[kima]

I have made this recipe for 15 years and never had a failure. It is simply the best Lemon Meringue Pie ever. I have made it for everyone I know and they all call it Lemon Maureen Pie!

Lemon meringue Pie is a particularly fascinating dessert as it can turn out wretchedley-gelatinous and oversewwt (as it is served in most restaurants) or if made properly, it can be a creamy ambrosia of lemony custard, delicate crust and fluffy meringue. This recipe will produce gourmet results. It takes more time that opening a package of lemon filling but the result is incomparable Harrowsmith Cookbook



Lemon meringue Pie

Baked 9 inch pie shell
1 c. sugar
6 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4tsp. salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. butter
1/3c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind
1/4tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2tsp. vanilla

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly add the milk, Stirring constantly. Cook and stir these ingredients over hot water until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Cover the pan and allow to cook 10 minutes longer. Stir occasionally.
Remove from heat. beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl and add about 1/2c. of the thickened milk. Then stir this mixture back into the double boiler. Cook and stir over boiling water for 5-6 mins. Remove from heat and add the butter, lemon juice and rind. Cool this custard, stirring gently every 10 mins. or so. When cool, pour into the pie shell.

For the meringue, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until they are stiff but not dry. Beat in the sugar,1/2 tsp. at a time, followed by the vanilla. Heap onto the pie and spread with a spatula so that the meringue goes all the way out to the crust, around the whole pie. Use a light back and forth motion of the spatula to make decorative waves in the meringue. Bake at 350 deg. for 12-15 minutes until the meringue is delicately browned on top.


Yes this is a time consuming recipe- especailly if you make the crust as well (I always do). I have made it so many times I can make it pretty quickly. But no matter- it is well worth the effort. This is my family's all time favorite dessert!:)

[Jewel]

Thanks Maureen! :) No matter what recipe I try the lemon filling never sets up (Curleytop says I don't boil it long enough) and the meringue 'weeps' really bad and pulls away from the sides about 1/2" and gets all these annoying droplets and rivers of water! :( I'll try your recipe soon! Wish me luck! I just may be Lemon Challenged! :eek:

[kima]

Jewel if this filling doesn't set up you can punch me again..or else I'll buy you another drink-pick your pleasure!!!:D :D

[ISAIAH30_18]

Originally posted by Jewel
Thanks Maureen! :) No matter what recipe I try the lemon filling never sets up (Curleytop says I don't boil it long enough) and the meringue 'weeps' really bad and pulls away from the sides about 1/2" and gets all these annoying droplets and rivers of water! :( I'll try your recipe soon! Wish me luck! I just may be Lemon Challenged! :eek:

Jewel, I have the same problem, but I will try this one too. It's my Daddy's favorite and I'd love to bring him one when I go to visit. Can't wait to hear how your's turns out.
Kim

[LaraW]

Jewel, my sister's husband's mother (didja follow that) apparently makes a Lemon Merangue Pie to die for (sis's is better, according to her DH, though - smart man!).

Anyway, when the pie got those droplets on it, she always told the kids that they were honey kisses. I guess their kids grew up thinking that's where honey came from.

I think that the pulling away issue can be caused by your filling cooling too much before spreading the merangue on it. When I have made a lemon merangue pie, I get the egg whites going in the KA while the filling is finishing up cooking. Then you pour the filling in the crust and then spread the merangue on right away. Also, I think the merangue needs to touch the crust so it can "hang on".

Just some thoughts.....maybe a more experienced pie maker could add some insight. I just remember these little things that my grandma told me when I was asking for advice on making a pie.

Lara

[Jewel]

Thanks for the tips everyone, and Maureen I'll take a digital photo of the finished product and show it to you in June, and if it's not perfect I'll take that drink! ;)

DH is currently finishing up the Butterscotch Apple Pecan Crisp (which by the way, every time he has a dish he slurps the butterscotch off his chin and says "You could SELL this..." ;) ) and when he finishes that off, I'll attempt this Lemon Pie. Thanks for all the advice! :D

[Leonard]

I posted a recipe for "Lemon Cream Meringue Pie" that I swear is the best!! It's from pastry chef Nick Maligieri's book "How To Bake". It also uses milk as the filling ingredient, not water. His pie uses a "swiss meringue" which is egg whites and sugar cooked over hot simmering water to a certain temp. I think it's 140 degrees. Then finish whisking on the stand up Kitchenaid. This totally dissolves the sugar in the meringue so it's not grainy and more stable. I believe the moisture beads that form on top of the meringue is from humidity in the air??? I know I've heard never to make a Lemon Meringue Pie on a humid or rainy day??? Also, make sure to spread the meringue to the entire edge of the pie. I actually touch the edge of the crust to make sure the entire surface is sealed. This way it doesn't shrink and pull back. His recipe says to cook the lemon filling then pour into a glass dish and cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a nasty "skin" from developing. He says to only cool to room temp. I've heard putting the filling in the crust cold, causes the weeping?? It really is a great pie! Try it, you'll love it!!

Patti

[Gilgamesh37]

Jewel--for a quicker and less twitchy alternative (I too am sometimes merinque-challenged, I'm sure my grandma is shaking her head in heaven) my co-workers renamed these Lemon Pie Bars, because they do taste quite like lemon pie. But they need to be refirgerated, they get all gloopy if they sit at room temp for too long.

Lemon Pie Bars

Crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¾ cup cold unsalted butter
dash of pure lemon extract

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice
2 ½ Tbl flour

Topping:
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Combine flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add dash of pure lemon extract (¼ tsp. or less). Pat into greased 13 inch by 9 inch by 2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until set and the edges are just beginning to lightly brown.

Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients: mix well. Pour over hot crust. Bake for 14-17 minutes (this is what original recipe said, mine took 4-5 minutes longer) or until set and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in bowl combine topping ingredients. Spread over filling. Bake 7-9 minutes longer or until toppings set. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Cut bars before serving.

[Jewel]

Thanks everyone...and Gilgamesh, I appreciate the Lemon Bar recipe but I am on a mission to actually make a @#$% pie! ;) For DH it's one of those "But my mother can make a perfect Lemon Meringue Pie, maybe you should call her...." :eek: GRRRRR! :p

[CKL]

Jewel - I'm curious as to the ending of this, since I am also contemplating the making of a lemon meringue pie. Did it work out in the end?

CK

[Jewel]

I haven't had a chance to make it yet! :( When I was gathering my ingredients to make Maureen's recipe my DH called me to tell me that he was hopping a plane bound for Alaska that afternoon, and was gone for a week! Since he's been back I haven't baked. My next project is a Peach Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust from last month's Bon Appetit! :D By that time I may have enough nerve to try this pie.

Of course I have to make it within the next two weeks just so Maureen will owe me a drinkie when it craps out like the rest of 'em! :D:D:D I AM Lemon-Challenged!

[CKL]

Ahhh... OK. Looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

CK

[MrsReber]

Just a thought, but I have heard if you bring your egg whites to room temp before beating them, you'll get much more volume out of them- hence, more meringue and maybe that could help with the shrinking issue? I love making lemon meringue pie. I have an old recipe from a very old cookbook my mom has. I think it was from the Gracie Institute? Anyway, it's the only one I really like. Tastes very lemon-y. The pie never lasts long enough to get the drops on the meringue!

[CKL]

I love making lemon meringue pie. I have an old recipe from a very old cookbook my mom has. I think it was from the Gracie Institute? Anyway, it's the only one I really like. Tastes very lemon-y

Please share :)

CK

[kima]

Hey now Jewel-I will need proof (ie. a piece of your pie) in order to determine whether I really owe you that drink-and no fair tanking it on purpose!!!(You'll do anything for a free drink I fear!:D :D )

[ISAIAH30_18]

Originally posted by CKL


Please share :)

CK

YES PLEASE!!!:p

[ISAIAH30_18]

OK, this was my first time ever to try a LM pie....it's my dad's favorite so I had to make a practice pie last night so I could do a pretty good one this weekend.
At first I was so DISCOURAGED my custard wasn't getting thick and I didn't know what to do!! I used the recipe at the beginning of this thread, but when the custard wasn't doing it's job I looked in other cookbooks for ideas....none of them called for a double boiler, so out went the double boiler and then it thickened great!!!!! Could be that I'm double-boiler challenged.
The meringue came out fine, I guess. Don't have much to compare it to. It didn't strink and it browned beautifully!!!
The taste test was this morning for breakfast (all in the name of learning to cook, I promise!!). I'm still a pastry snob I guess....the shell will be from scratch next time. But the custard was good!!!

All this to say to Jewel....IF I CAN DO IT, YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO IT!!!!

[MrsReber]

Sorry I didn't come back sooner! Here's the recipe, which I actually made last weekend. DH loves it. Hope you do, too!


4 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 1/2 c. boiling water
3 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp sale,
4 Tbsp lemon juice (I usually put a little bit more)
grated lemon rind
3 egg whites

Boil water, sugar, salt and rind for a few minutes. Mix cornstarch with 1/4 c cold water. Add to boiling mixture and boil for a few minutes. Add beaten egg yolks diulted with 1 Tbsp cold water and cook until set (keep stirring). Remove from fire, add lemon juice and butter. Pour into bakes pie crust and cover with meringue.

Meringue - beat egg whites quickly until stiff and dry. Add 4 Tbsp powdered sugar and beat. Flavor with lemon juice and vanilla. Bake in oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

I pretty much follow the recipe. For the meringue, I let the egg whites come to room temp. I use frozen pie crust because that is one thing I really cannot master. I like this recipe because it's easy to make. Hardly takes any time at all and it's made with things that I usually have readily available in my kitchen.

[Tiger]

Ok, yes, it did take me awhile to finally getting around to trying this but Maureen, I did it!
Maureen did warn that it wasn't a fast dessert and she was right. It was an entire morning project. In fact I can't imagine not having my KA food processor (crust) or my KA standmixer (meringue). But it does turn out right if you just follow the directions. At least mine looked good and tasted great.
When I was done I thought next time I'd double the meringue. I like "mile high" meringue. But after tasting it, it seemed just fine. The lemon part is worth the effort. It's not that "gel" type you get with a market pie but more of a true custard.
Besides myself there were 4 others that ate it. Two people had no comment, one didn't finish it. :( The other 2 raved. In fact my Dad asked for another piece. He never doubles on dessert. So I'm not quite sure what to think. :rolleyes: For all the effort I was hoping for big raves from everyone. :p