Filling
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups water
1 Tbs butter
¼ cup corn starch
3 Tbs cold water
6 Tbs lemon juice
1 teasp grated lemon rind
3 egg yolks
2 Tbs milk
1 8” baked puff pastry pie crust (you can make your own or just do what we do which is buy the pastry already rolled out, and then bake it ourselves)
Meringue
3 egg whites
6 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs vinegar
1 teasp salt
¼ teasp cream or tartar
Filling: Combine sugar, butter & water and heat until dissolved. Add corn starch which has been blended with cold water. Cook slowly over medium heat until clear about 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and rind, and cook 2 minutes over medium heat. Slowly add the egg yolks, which have been beaten with milk. Bring to boil, and then cool. Pour into baked crust.
Meringue: I think Erma’s recipe said to”beat the egg whites.” But if case you haven’t done that before, there are a few tricks to the trade that will insure success (these come from Julia, and Linda follows them every time). First, make sure that the mixing bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean, and the egg whites should be at room temperature. Then, pour a tablespoon of vinegar into the bowl along with a teaspoon of salt. Rub the bowl clean with paper towels, but do not wash it – the traces of vinegar and salt help stabilize the egg whites. Turn the egg whites into the bowl, and start beating with an electric mixer at low speed until they are foaming. Add ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar (another stabilizer), and gradually increase the speed to fast. Continue until stiff shining peaks are formed. Gently spread over the filling.
Bake in 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or just until meringue is lightly browned.
May 5, 2004
