Page 100 - My Cookbook

INGREDIENTS
Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie
Deserts, Pies
Makes Serves 8 to 10 ∙ Source Cookscountry.com
LEMON FILLING
1 1⁄4 cups sugar
1 cup lemon juice (from 6 lemons)
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄4 cup cornstarch
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
8 large egg yolks (reserve 4 whites for meringue)
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened 1 (9-inch) pie shell, fully baked and cooled
MERINGUE
1⁄2 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites (reserved from filling)
pinch table salt
1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
If using a hand-held mixer, you will need a very large, deep bowl and should move the beaters vigorously in step 3 to avoid underbeating the egg whites. This pie is best on the day it’s made.
1. For the filling: Whisk sugar, lemon juice, water, cornstarch, and salt together in large nonreactive saucepan until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until mixture becomes translucent and begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Whisk in yolks until combined. Stir in zest and butter. Bring to simmer and stir constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 2 minutes. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into pie shell and scrape filling off underside of strainer. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of filling and refrigerate until set and well chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.