Lemon Meringue Pie

Crust-

Shortening makes flakier crust, but butter tastes better, mix to your balance choice, all

shortening is flakiest or all butter has best taste, as long as cold, it does not change the recipe.

Cold is important.  Mix Flour, Sugar, and Salt.  Cut in Shortening and Butter with a pastry blender

 or food processor.  Should be the size of small peas or smaller. Look for small flour covered, but

not crumbs.

Add Water with fork and form into a ball, add enough water to have it clear the sides of a bowl,

but go slow adding, best to have it stay together while not like play dough, should clump without

looking wet.   Form into a ball, flatten, wrap in plastic and chill For a least ½ hour or up to 2 days.

Take the dough out for a few minutes, until it becomes pliable, then use either wax Paper or ziplock

gallon bag with sides cut out to roll the dough between layers to larger than the pie plate. 

Check as rolling, if it sticks add a dusting of flour between plastic/wax paper.  Place the dough

without plastic/wax in the plate.  If holes, use top edge dough to repair. 

Cut top edge to plate or cut slightly larger and roll under.  Punch the dough with a fork repeatedly

for steam release. Bake at 425 for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned. 

If the bottom balloons while cooking, poke more holes and pat down.  Remove from oven and cool.

Filling

1           Cup        Sugar

1/4        TSP        Corn Starch

1/8        TSP        Salt

6                          Egg Yolks

1 1/2     Cup        Water

1           TBL        Lemon Zest -  fresh

1/2        TBL        Lemon Juice - Fresh

2           TBL        Butter 

Mix Sugar, Corn Starch, and Salt in a pan. Whisk in yolks and then slowly work in water.

Simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in rest.  Very important to

keep warm until meringue is ready, the heat will cook the base of the meringue.

Meringue-

** For humid days, 1 1/2 TBL corn starch in 1/2 cup cold water –

     cooked to thickens and cool add after the sugar is worked in and pour in slowly.

Use an electric mixer with whisk attachment. On low, beat whites, salt and tartar until frothy.

Move to high speed, add sugar slowly, beat until glossy, do not stop mixer to scrape sides,

needs to stay moving until finished.  The meringue should show lines when finished mixing

and should form a peak when beater is inverted.  Set aside.

Pour the hot lemon into the shell.  Using gloves or spatula, pour the meringue onto the

Lemon and spread to the edge of the shell, important that the meringue is on the dough

to keep the top from shrinking.  Mold to a dome shape, if spikes are wanted, touch the

Meringue and pull up, gives an effect, but also adds a chewy top.

325 for 20 minutes or until browned.  Cool overnight, do not cut, filling needs to set.

Do not place in refrigerator, causes too many problems to list.  Best is to place a very

Large bowl or pot over the whole pie without the meringue touching anything.

Dip knife in water for easier meringue cutting.

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*Egg whites should not have any yolk pieces or fat for the meringue to get the best volume.

  Separate when cold, easier while the whites are chilled, but whites need to be room temp,

 so plan ahead. Either to not touch whites or wear gloves, oil from hands is also like fat in

negative volume.  Check eggs one at a time, then add to bowl, make sure no yolk or shell chips.

Use metal or glass, no plastic at any time in this recipe, plastic holds fats.