Lemon Meringue Pie

Who doesn't love Lemon Meringue Pie? Even I kinda like it and I don't really like pie!

My best friend Jocey invited me over the other night to help her make a test pie.

What's a test pie? Well let me tell you. This is a method that both her and I like to use. It's very simple really. When you come across a recipe that you've never used before and you're planning on using this recipe for a special occasion (like a birthday or party of whatever) your try it out before hand to make sure that it works properly.

I like to do this with new cookies and such, as I tend to screw it up the first time.

So Jocey had never made a Lemon Meringue Pie before (which surprises me considering she's a Martha Stewart when it comes to being awesome at everything) and I had ever only made one with a lemon pudding mix. We were both pretty excited about making this pie!

1 pie crust

1 1/4 cups white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup water

4 eggs separated

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

2 tsp lemon zest

3 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Pre heat oven to 325'

Combine sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Mix cornstarch and water to smooth paste. I found out that you should always add the cornstarch to the liquids so that it won't harden. Who knew?

(That's the eggs yokes in the other bowl if you were wondering)

Slowly wisk into boiling sugar. Boil mixture until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

It gets thick really quickly, but takes a little while to turn clear.

In a small bowl, wisk yolks and lemon. Gradually mix yoke mixture into hot sugar mixture. Return to heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in grated lemon and butter. Cool until lukewarm.

While cooling, have a glass of wine, chill out and catch up. Mind you that's just a suggestion, but I think it's a good one :)

In a large glass bowl (it should be glass or metal and be cleaned of any oil residue. This apparently makes better Meringue.) combine egg whites and salt. Whip until foamy.

 

Gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks.

Add lemon juice to Meringue when stiff. This was a step that Jocey added to give more volume to it. And you know what? It worked!

Stir about 3/4 cup of meringue into the luke warm mixture. Spoon filling into shell. We used a gramecracker crust that Jocey had on hand. Cover pie to crust with meringue. Make sure you seal around the crust to make sure that it doesn't separate.

 

Bake 15 minutes or until brown.

Doesn't it look yummy?

All and all we decided that this test pie was a success!