The Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie- No Weep

* Exported from MasterCook *

The Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie - No Weep

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 9 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pies Fruits

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
--- -----COOK'S ILLUSTRATED
11/12/94----------------
Graham Cracker-Coated Shell
1 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Sugar
6 tb Unsalted chilled butter -- cut
Into 1/4" pieces
6 tb Unsalted chilled butter -- cut
Into 1/4" pieces
4 tb All-purpose vegetable
Shortening -- chilled
3 tb To 4 T cold wate
1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs
Lemon Filling:
1 c Sugar
1/4 c Cornstarch
1/8 ts Salt
1 1/2 c Cold water
6 lg Egg yolks
1 tb Zest from 1 lemon
1/2 c Juice from 2 or 3 lemons
2 tb Unsalted butter
Meringue Topping:
1 tb Cornstarch
1/4 ts Cream of Tartar
1/2 c Sugar
4 lg Egg whites
1/2 ts Vanilla extract

1. For the pie shell, mix flour, salt, and sugar in
food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter
butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat
butter with a little of the flour. Cut butter into
flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening;
continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and
resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger
than a small pea, about 1-second pulses. Turn mixture
into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cold water over mixture.
Using rubber spatula, fold water into mixture; press
down on dough mixtue with broad side of spatula, fold
water into mixture; press down on dough sticks
together. If dough will not come together, add up to 1
tablespoon more cold water. Shape dough into ball,
then flatten into 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with
flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes
before rolling.

3. Generously spinkle work area with 2 tablespoons
graham cracker crumbs. Place dough on work area.
Scatter a few more crumbs over dough. Roll dough from
center to edges, turning it into a 9-inch disk,
rotating a quarter turn after each stroke and
sprinkling additional crumbs underneath and on top as
necessary to coat heavily. Flip dough over, and
continue to roll, but not rotate, to form a 13-inch
disk slighly less than 1/8-inch thick.

4. Fold dough in quarters; place dough point in center
of 9-inch Pyrex pie pan. Unfold to cover pan
completely, letting excess dough drape over pan lip.
To fit dough to pan, lift edge of dough with one hand
and press dough in pan bottom with other hand; repeat
process around circumference of pan to ensure dough
fits properly and is not stretched. Trim all around,
1/2-inch past lip of pan. Tuck 1/2 inch of overhanging
dough under so folded edge is flush with lip pan;
press to seal. Press thumb and index finger about
1/2-inch apart against outside edge of dough, then use
index finger or knuckle of other hand to poke a dent
on inside edgeof dough through opening created by the
other fingers. Repeat to flute around perimeter of pie
shell.

5. Refrigerate until firm, aout 30 minutes. Prick
shell at 1/2-inch intervals; press a doubled 12-inch
square of aluminum foil into pie shell; prick again
and refrigerate a least 30 minutes.

6. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, heat oven to
400 degrees. Bake, checking occasionally for
ballooning, until crust is firmly set, about 15
minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees,
remove foil, and continue to bake until crust is crisp
and rich brown in color, about 10 minutes longer.

7. For the Filling, mix first four ingredients in a
large, nonreactivve saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer
over medium heat, whisking occasionally at beginning
of the process and more frequently as mixture begins
to thicken. When mixture starts to simmer and turn
translucent, whisk in egg yolks, two at a time. Whisk
in zest, then lemon juice, and finally butter. Bring
mixture to a good simmer, whisking constantly. Remove
from heat, place plastic wrap directly on surface of
filling to keep hot and prevent skin from forming.

8. For the meringue, mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup
water in small saucepan; bring to simmer, whisking
occasionally at beginning and more frequently as
mixture thickens. When mixture starts to simmer and
turn translucent, remove from heat. Leet cool while
beating egg whites.

9. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix cream of tartar and
sugar together. Beat egg whites and vanilla until
frothy. Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time;
until sugar is incorporated and mixture forms soft
peaks. Add cornstarch mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time;
continue to beat meringue to stiff peaks. Remove
plastic from filling and return to very low heat
during last minute or so of beating meringue (to
ensure filling is hot). MM Norma_Wrenn



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