Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 30
  • Servings: 8
  • Preparation Time: 30
  • 1 (9") deep dish pie crust
  • 4 egg yolks, reserve the whites for the meringue
  • 1/2 c. cornstarch
  • 1 3/4 c. cold water
  • 1 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 3 T. unsalted butter
  • juice from 1 Meyer lemon
  • zest from 1 Meyer lemon
DIRECTIONS
  1. Whisk egg yolks in a medium size mixing bowl; set aside. In a medium sauce pan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar and salt and whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil; boil for 1 minute (mixture should be very thick like a paste). Remove from heat and gradually, a whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture (tempering the egg yolks). Once tempered, add remaining egg yolk to mixture and return to heat, on low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into a baked pie shell and top with meringe while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the pie crust and seals completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing because you want the pie to completely "set up" and not be soupy when you slice it. To make meringue place 4 egg whites and 1/2 tsp. of cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add 1/2 c. of powdered sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
While visiting my sister in Florida, her neighbor was kind enough to share lemons from her tree. They didn't look much like lemons to me but I gladly took them and made a lemon meringue pie from my favorite recipe. Turns out, they were Meyer lemons and the pie was the best I'd ever tasted. Everyone that tastes it says the same thing. If Meyer lemons are not in season, take the juice of one lemon and add 3 tablespoons of orange juice to it and you'll get almost exactly the same taste as the Meyer lemon. Once you try this, you'll never want a regular lemon meringue pie again!!!