Mom's Lemon Meringue Pie

Mom's Lemon Meringue Pie

Hi, just got back from a short trip to San Diego, sure did enjoy the fresh sea air .Since it's close to spring time, and Easter is around the corner my mind started to conceive what dessert I would be preparing for my family gathering.
I decided on my mother-in-laws lemon meringue pie recipe. My  mother-in-law Florence. was raised Mennonite, and this recipe has been handed down though the family.
 This recipe will make 2 pies, and I also left a recipe for making the pie crust (this recipe makes 5 single crusts).

Supplies (the right tools make a better pie)
9" in. pie pan
large bowls
measuring spoons

rolling pin

rubber spatula

whisk

pastry dough blender

bench scraper

lemon reamer

mixer



Ingredients for Perfect Pie Crust
5 cups of flour
2 cups of shortening ( I like to use the butter flavored shortening)
1 egg yolk save the egg white for the meringue
1 tablespoon of vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon of salt


The pie crust we will make is a very flaky one. In a large bowl put the flour, sugar, and salt. blend with whisk.

With the pastry blender, combine the shortening with the flour mixture...



'til it resembles small marbles.

In a measuring cup mix 1 egg yolk, and vinegar, and fill the cup to top.

Sprinkle water, egg, and vinegar mixture, folding over the flour mixture. depending on the humidity, you may not use all of the water mixture.

Check it by taking a hand full and squeezing it. If it holds together nicely it is good, if its too crumbly add more water to the mixture. Do not overwork the dough once you add the water mixture, or it will make your crust tough.

Next, roll your crust onto a floured countertop. Keep adding flour so it doesn't stick to the counter.

Now flatten dough ball.

Roll out dough, adding flour, and using bench scraper to keep dough from sticking to the counter.

Fold crust in half , then in quarters for easy handling.

Adjust to pie pan...

Make fluted edges on the pie crust, try to hook over the edge of the pie pan to keep the pie crust from slumping down. I find that by doing this I don't have to blind bake my crust.

Make sure to dock or pierce the dough before baking.

Bake 20 minutes, or 'til golden brown at 400 degrees,

then cool and set aside while making the lemon filling.

Lemon Filling:
2 cups of sugar
8 tablespoons of corn starch
1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
4 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)
2 cups of water
2 tablespoons of real butter
pinch of salt

Using the lemon reamer will get all of the goodness out of your lemons.

In a medium sauce pan: put sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, 4 egg yolks, and water.

Stirring constantly with a whisk, bring to a boil. The mixture should thicken. It takes about 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat to cool... adding the butter and pinch of salt. Allow to cool before pouring into pie crust.

Meringue Topping:
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons of sugar

Making meringue can be tricky.
Make sure your eggs are room temperature, and when you separate the yolk from the white that no part of the yolk is broken into the white part of the egg.
Your bowl and blender beaters have to be squeaky clean, with no grease on them.
In large bowl, whip egg whites with an electric beater until they become frothy. Now add cream of tartar.

Keep whipping with beater until egg whites become firm and hold a peak.

Slowly add 6 tablespoons of sugar one at a time.

Spread over pie filling making sure to seal the pie with the meringue topping otherwise the pie will weep.

Broil meringue in oven, close to the top shelf, till brown, it takes about 3 to 5 minutes, so don't walk away.

Let me know how you like this recipe.

Labels: recipe draft 3/10/10 by Rosy Creations Delete

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