Partial Ingredients

Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

Lemon Meringue Pie with A Graham Cracker Crust

by

Lemon Meringue Pie is a great option for a lighter dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.  Lemon Meringue Pie is a two layer pie of lemony filling and light whipped meringue.  It is a perfect balance of tart and sweet.  The flavors definitely awaken the taste buds after a heavy holiday meal.  I had never made Lemon Meringue pie but I had made meringue cookies before so I was familiar with half of the equation of this pie.  The process of making the filling was also very similar to making vanilla custard for Vanilla Custard Pie.  I had never tried this pie before so I did not know what to expect.  I loved the tartness of the pie along with the fluffy, almost caramelized texture of the meringue.

Lemon Meringue Pie with A Graham Cracker Crust
Adapted from Chow.com
(makes 1 pie)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

  • 1 pre-made or store bought graham cracker crust
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (from 3 to 4 lemons)
  • 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Directions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. Combine the cornstarch, sugar, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a medium-sized  saucepan.
  3. Add water and whisk until well blended.
  4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  5. Remove from heat, add butter and lemon zest, and stir vigorously until butter is completely melted and ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  6. Pour mixture into graham-cracker crust, cover with plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.

For the meringue:

  1. Combine egg whites and 1/4 tsp salt in a large, clean bowl and whip with a hand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  2. Spoon meringue over lemon filling.  Spread meringue so that it covers the entire surface of the pie, sealing in filling.  Be sure meringue meets the crust, otherwise it will shrink inward, exposing filling.
  3. Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then refrigerate until filling is cold, at least 4 hours. Slice, and serve chilled.