As much as we love getting creative with new recipes, we still love a classic.
Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Ingredients
- Pie Dough (recipe follows)
- 1¼ cups sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 5 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon packed lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- Swiss Meringue (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Lightly dust work surface with flour. Roll Pie Dough out to a 12-inch circle (about ⅛ inch thick), rotating as needed to prevent sticking. Gently transfer to a 9-inch deep-dish metal pie plate, and trim excess to ½ inch over edges of pie plate. Fold excess under, and crimp as desired. Dock bottom of crust with a fork, and freeze until firm, at least 15 minutes.
- Cut a square of parchment large enough to cover bottom and sides of pie, and press into bottom of dough. Fill with pie weights, and bake until edges are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, and continue baking until bottom of crust is dry and golden, 5 to 7 minutes more. Let cool completely before filling.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Add egg yolks and egg, and whisk vigorously to combine. Whisk in lemon juice, ⅓ cup water, lemon zest, and salt until completely combined and no clumps remain.
- Bring lemon mixture to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, whisking frequently. Boil, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and slightly translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Add butter, and mix until butter is completely incorporated.
- Pour filling into cooled piecrust. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cooled, at least 1 hour.
- Top cooled filling with Swiss Meringue as desired. Using a handheld kitchen torch, carefully brown meringue as desired. Best served same day.
Pie Dough
Makes 1 (9-inch) piecrust
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup ice water, plus more as needed
Instructions
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour and salt, and pulse until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly and butter is pea-size. With processor running, add ⅓ cup ice water in a slow, steady stream just until dough comes together. (Mixture may appear crumbly. It should be moist and hold together when pinched.) Add more ice water as needed.
- Turn out dough, and press into a flat disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 2 days. After 2 days, dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Swiss Meringue
Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In the top of a double boiler over medium-high heat, whisk together egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Cook, stirring occasionally, over simmering water until sugar is dissolved and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°, about 7 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat at high speed until mixture has tripled in volume and stiff peaks form, 4 to 6 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.
