Lemony Lemon Meringue Pie

The secret to this melt in your mouth pie is the foolproof method for preparing the meringue. But first things first! If you are lucky enough to tolerate dairy products, use butter for the crust and filling.



Prepare and bake a 9 inch pie shell. A basic pie crust recipe works well with a ratio of ½ shortening like butter flavored Crisco, and ½ non-dairy margarine such as Earth Balance.

Step 2: The Filling can be prepared in the microwave. It helps to have all the ingredients lined up and ready to go. These are stovetop directions:
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbl. cornstarch
1 ½ cups water
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten – save whites for the meringue!
3 Tbls. non-dairy margarine
2 Teasp. lemon zest or grated lemon peel
½ cup lemon juice ~ 2 fresh lemons

Directions:
Mix sugar and cornstarch together well in a medium size, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add water gradually while stirring. Over medium heat, stir constantly, until filling thickens and boils. It will turn from cloudy to clear. Only boil for 1 minute!
Next add eggs. Quickly stir the filling while slowly pouring in the egg yolks to prevent them from clumping. Continue to boil for only one more minute, then remove from heat.
Stir in margarine, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until margarine is melted and all is blended. Pour into pie shell.

Step 3: Easy Meringue
Ingredients:
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
½ Teasp. Vanilla
1/8 Teasp. Salt
½ Teasp lemon zest (opt)

Directions:
Mix egg whites with sugar in a clean dry bowl and place the bowl in a bigger pan of hot water. The trick is to continue to stir until the whites feel warm and sugar begins to dissolve. Remove bowl from the hot water bath and add salt, lemon zest and vanilla. Beat meringue until stiff and shiny. Spread the pie filling with the meringue being sure to touch all edges of the crust to keep it from shrinking. Put the pie in the oven on one of the upper middle racks with the broiler on. Keep constant watch until meringue peaks brown a little. Depending on rack height and type of broiler, this could only take a minute or two!

Now just as the anticipation is all built up, you'll still have to continue to wait for at least an hour while the pie cools and the filling firms up. You won't be disappointed!