Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, well chilled, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions

For Crust:

1. Combine flour, lemon zest, sugar, salt and chilled butter pieces in food processor bowl.
2. Pulse the mixture several times JUST until the butter is processed into pea-sized pieces. Do not over-process.
3. Adding 1 tablespoon at a time, sprinkle ice water through feed tube and process JUST until dough begins to come together.  Add additional ice water if necessary. Small butter pieces should still be visible in dough.
4. Remove dough from bowl. Form dough into a disc about one inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
5. Sprinkle pastry cloth or parchment paper and rolling pin lightly with flour. Roll dough from center outward into a 13-inch diameter. 
6. Grease pie pan lightly with butter to hold pastry in place and help with browning.
7. Transfer pastry to pie pan without stretching dough. Press pastry to bottom and sides of pan. Trim pastry to about 1 inch beyond edge of pan. Turn edge of pastry under and press to rim of pan.
8. Use a fork to prick bottom and sides of pastry. Chill pastry 30 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 425°F.
10. Pre-bake the crust by lining the pastry crust with nonstick aluminum foil or buttered foil. Place the foil buttered or nonstick side down. Fill with pie weights or dry beans to about 3/4-inch deep.
11. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans.
12. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Continue baking pastry until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool.

For Filling:

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in water.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber scraper, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
3. Stirring in a little at a time, add about half of the hot mixture to the egg yolks. Then, stir the egg mixture back into the remaining mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir, until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is very thick.
4. Remove from heat. Add butter. Then, add lemon zest and lemon juice. Pour into baked pie crust.

For Meringue:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on MEDIUM speed until foamy.
3. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually increase speed to HIGH. Adding 1 tablespoon at a time, gradually add sugar mixture to egg whites. Continue beating until stiff and glossy.
4. Spread meringue over hot lemon filling making sure to avoid leaving air pockets. Carefully seal meringue to edge of crust. Use back of spoon to make swirls and peaks in meringue.
5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until meringue is light brown. Cool.
6. Cover and refrigerate cooled pie.

Serves: 8