Serves 8
FOR A REGION THAT DOESN’T FARE WELL WHEN IT COMES TO GROWING CITRUS, vintage cookbooks of the Midwest showcase an insane number of pies running on the puckering power of lemons. This book, however, has only two—the Ohio Shaker Lemon Pie (here) and this one, a pie that literally flips the script on a lemon meringue pie. With a crisp meringue shell, sharp lemon curd filling, and a cloud of vanilla bean whipped cream to finish everything off, this pie is a feather-light alternative to pies made with buttery pastry. It’s even gluten-free, if that’s your thing. Meyer lemons will make this pie extra special.
Nonstick cooking spray for pan
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup/200 g granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
⅔ cup/150 g freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup/200 g granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons/42 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1 cup/240 g heavy whipping cream, chilled
½ teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 275°F/135°C. Spray the bottom, sides, and rim a 9-inch/23 cm glass pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Wipe away any excess oil with a paper towel.
Prepare the meringue shell: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Begin whipping the whites on medium speed until they start to become opaque and hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. With the mixer running, spoon in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time—don’t rush this stage, you want the sugar to dissolve as much as possible to yield a sturdy shell. When all the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat until the meringue reaches very stiff, glossy peaks, about 1 minute more. The meringue should ball up in the whisk and create an almost vertical peak when you lift the whisk from the bowl. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Pile the meringue into the prepared pie plate. Using the back of a small spoon, shape the cloud of meringue into a thick-bottomed pie shell, so it billows up the sides about an inch/2.5 cm and clings to the inner rim of the edge of the plate. Smooth the bottom evenly. Bake the shell until crisp, set, and ivory in color, about 1½ hours. Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and allow the crust to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour more—don’t worry if the shell falls or cracks a bit while cooling.
While baking the meringue, prepare the lemon filling: In a small cup, combine 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice with the gelatin and stir until any lumps disappear. Allow the gelatin to soften for 5 to 10 minutes. In a 2- to 2½-quart/1.9 to 2.4 L saucepan, whisk together the remaining lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, lemon zest, and salt. Set the pan over medium heat. Whisking often, cook the curd until a few lavalike steam bubbles come to the surface, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the lump of softened gelatin until melted. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Pour the curd through a sieve into a clean bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Allow the curd to cool at room temperature while the meringue shell is cooling.
When both have cooled completely, spoon the filling into the shell. Cover loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap. Chill the pie for at least 6 hours, or up to overnight. Just before serving, whip the cream with the vanilla bean paste to soft peaks, and pile on top of the curd.