Makes: One 9-inch pie, enough for about 8 servings
Time: About 45 minutes, plus time to chill
Light but powerful, Lemon Meringue Pie highlights its smooth, tart filling with a cloud of sweet meringue on top. As with Vanilla Cream Pie, you can skip the meringue topper, use Whipped Cream, and skip the final baking step altogether.
1. Bake the flaky piecrust completely or bake the crumb crust as described in the recipe and start the filling while the crust is in the oven. When the crust is done, leave the oven at 350°F and cool the crust slightly on a rack.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the boiling water and cook, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves, just a minute or 2; keep warm. Beat the egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk about ½ cup of the sugar mixture into the egg yolks. Immediately stir the egg yolk mixture back into the sugar mixture and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Keep whisking and let it boil for less than a minute, then turn off the heat and add the butter. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Set aside.
3. Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt until foamy. Keep beating, gradually adding the confectioners’ sugar, until the mixture is shiny and holds stiff peaks.
4. Pour the filling into the crust and cover with the meringue, making sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the crust to keep the meringue from shrinking. As you spread the meringue, make peaks and swirls if you like; you could also pipe the meringue onto the filling for a more refined look. Put the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent spills and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours; serve cool.
LEMON MERINGUE WITH CREAMY FILLING Richer: Instead of water, use 2 cups warmed cream, half-and-half, or milk.
LEMON-MARSHMALLOW MERINGUE PIE Like a citrusy s’more: Substitute Fluffy Marshmallow Filling for the meringue and use Cookie Crumb Crust made with vanilla wafers.
LEMON-BERRY PIE Quite a beauty: Skip the meringue, press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the filled pie to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until the filling is cold, at least 2 hours. Top with ½ cups mixed whole berries, like raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, cut into smaller pieces if they’re big. Serve each slice with a dollop of Whipped Cream.
LIME MERINGUE PIE For an even tarter twist: Substitute lime zest and juice for the lemon zest and juice.