Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie
INGREDIENTS
- Lemon curd:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 6 TB (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 TB fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
- Pinch of salt
- Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- Filling:
- 3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided
- Topping:
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- 6 TB sugar
DIRECTIONS
- Lemon Curd:
- Whisk eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl.
- Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over large saucepan of simmering water.
- Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt; gradually whisk in egg mixture.
- Whisk until thick and thermometer inserted into curd registers 178°F to 180°F, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl.
- Press plastic wrap on top of curd; chill 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead.
- Keep chilled.
- Crust:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix pecans, sugar, and butter in medium bowl until moistened.
- Press pecan mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (mixture will be crumbly).
- Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes (crust will slip down sides of dish).
- Use back of spoon to press crust back into place.
- Cool crust on rack.
- Freeze crust 30 minutes.
- Filling:
- Dollop 1 1/2 cups ice cream over crust; spread into even layer.
- Spread lemon curd over ice cream; freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
- Dollop 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream over lemon curd; spread into even layer.
- Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours
- Topping:
- Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy.
- Beat in cream of tartar.
- With mixer running, gradually add sugar.
- Beat until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon meringue over pie, spreading to seal at edges and swirling decoratively.
- DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead.
- Freeze pie.
- Using kitchen butane torch, toast meringue until golden in spots or place pie in a preheated 500°F oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching to prevent burning, about 3 minutes.
- Cut pie into wedges; serve immediately