Paula Deens Tangy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe 415

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 F. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in eggs and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and lemon zest. Pour egg mixture into prepared pie crust. Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue over hot filling, sealing to edge of the pie crust. Bake for 23 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Separate a cold egg by transferring the yolk between the broken halves and letting the white drip into a small bowl. Transfer the white into a metal or glass mixing bowl. Separate the next egg over the small bowl as well-not over the mixing bowl. This way, if some of the yolk gets in the white, then you have lost only one egg. Let egg whites come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Beat the egg whites at the mixer's top speed until the mixture looks like sea form on a beach. Add cream of tartar to the foam to help stabilize the meringue. Keep beating egg whites at high speed until they reach soft peaks. When you lift the beaters from the beaten egg whites, the peaks will stand up straight and then fall over. Add the sugar gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, all while beating at a high speed. When you lift the beaters, the meringue pulls into pointy peaks that stay that way. At this stage, add the vanilla, and beat just long enough to mix it in. Using the back of a spoon, spread the meringue over a hot pie filling, first spreading around the rim of the pie and then filling in the center. Use the spoon to smooth the meringue. Make sure to seal the edges by spreading the meringue to the edges of the pastry. Use the back of the spoon to pull the meringue up into peaks all over the pie. Put the pie in the oven, do not let it sit. Use this basic meringue recipe for any pie. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the pie with meringue topping for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let pie cool before slices and serving.