Ingredients
Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp of salt
10 tbsp of unsalted butter
4 to 6 tbsp if ice water
Filling
5 large egg yolks(use the whites in the meringue)
1 1/3 cups of water
1 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of cornstarch
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp of unsalted butter
Meringue
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 granulated sugar
1/8 tsp of salt
Instructions
Pie Crust
In a deep medium size mixed bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt. Cut the butter into pea size pieces then add to the flower mixture. Working quickly use your hands to mix the mixture together. So as not to warm the butter.
Drizzle a few tablespoons of water on the mixture and toss to moisten. Continue adding the remaining water until the dose sticks together and stay stuck when pressed between two fingers. It's OK if the dough is still crumbly and messy.
Turn the mixture out onto a clean surface. Use your hands to press the dough together. Gently fold the dough over and onto itself, repeating this three times until it's come together and a cohesive mass. Rap dough in about a 4 inch wide disc shape with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least six hours. I do it overnight.
To roll out the dough let the dose set at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes or until it's slightly pliable. Roll the dough out on a flower work service, but not too much. Keep turning the dough after every role to ensure it doesn't stick to the counter and is of even thickness. I do 1/8 of an inch. Add additional flower to the dough the counter and the rolling bin as needed. We're allowed into a 12 inch circle, which is about 1/8 inch thick.
Gently roll up and around the rolling pin, then unroll and drape over a 9 inch pie plate. Gently pressed into the pie plate, being careful to avoid stretching it to fit. Use scissors or knife or your fingers to trim the excess doe, leaving a 1 inch overhang if you choose. Fold the overhang under itself and crimp or flute, pierce the base of the dough with a fork.
Bake the pie shell in the oven at 4:25°F. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until just beginning to brown and no longer raw.
Filling
Oven temperature to 350°F (177°C)
Whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside. Whisk the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. The mixture will be thin and cloudy, then eventually begin thickening and bubbling after about six minutes. Once thickened, give it a whisk and reduce heat to low.
December the egg yolks very slowly stream, a few large spoonfuls of warm lemon mixture into the egg yolks while stirring. Then also in a very low stream with the egg yolk mixture into the sauce pan. Turn heat back up to medium. Cook until the mixture is thick and big bubbles begin bursting at the surface. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the butter. Spread filling into the warm, partially baked crust. Set aside as you prepare the meringue. Work on the meringue as soon as you fill the pie with the filling that way, it is still warm and adheres to the filling preventing separation.
Meringue
To make them meringue, use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on medium speed for one minute, then increase to high speed until soft peaks form, about four minutes. Add the sugar and salt, then continue beating on high speed until glossy stiff peaks form, about two more minutes. Spread meringue on top of filling. Make sure you spread the meringue all the way to the edges so that it touches the crust this helps prevent the meringue from weeping.
Bake pie on the lowest oven rack for 20 to 25 minutes. If the meringue is burning too quickly tend a piece of foil over as best you can without the foil touching the meringue. When pie is done removed from oven place on a wire rack and allow to cool at room temperature for one hour before placing in the refrigerator to chill. Chill for four hours before slicing and serving.
Storing the Pie
Cover any leftovers and store in the refrigerator. Lemon meringue pie taste best on day one because it doesn't keep very well. No matter how hard you try to prevent it the meringue will wilt and separate overtime. Best to enjoy it right away.
