Lemon Meringue Pie

Step 1

o prepare pie crust, in a large mixing bowl add flour, salt, and sugar. Stir with a fork or whisk to combine. Add the chilled butter. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is the size of a pea and the flour resembles a coarse meal. Having some visible pieces of butter will ensure a flaky crust. Drizzle the ice water over the dry ingredients in 2 tablespoon increments. Enough water has been added when taking a handful of the dough, it comes together. Too much water will make a tough crust. To help bring the dough together, transfer the dough to a work surface that has two large pieces of plastic wrap overlapping each other. Using the plastic wrap, bring the dough on top and press down with the wrap. This will keep your hands clean and bring the dough together. Fold the dough up and press down four times; this will create layers in the crust. Form the dough into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 375°F. To form bottom crust, remove the disk from the refrigerator, and place on a floured work surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to approximately a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the bottom of the pie pan by using the rolling pin to place it in the pan. Press dough into the pan with fingers. Trim any uneven sides but leaving an inch of dough around the edge of the pan. Fold the dough under to help stabilize the edge. Using one left and right knuckle form a fluted edge. A fork may also be used to the crimp edge instead. Place crust in the refrigerator for ten minutes to firm up.

Step 3

Remove the crust from the refrigerator and using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the crust. This will help to avoid large air bubbles. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the crust with the egg wash. Place a square of parchment paper in the pie pan and add pie weights or dry beans as a weight. Place pie crust on the middle rack of the oven and bake with the pie weights for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper with the weights and place back in the oven. Bake for an additional 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 4

To prepare the lemon filling, in a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and set aside. In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the water, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Over medium heat, heat mixture until boiling. Lower heat to low and simmer until mixture is clear; this should take approximately 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour a spoonful of the hot filling into the egg yolks and whisk to combine. Take another spoonful of the hot filling and add to the egg yolks and whisk again to temper the yolks. Then add the egg yolk mixture to the hot filling in a slow stream and whisk while adding. Place the saucepan back over the heat and cook until mixture is thick and is bubbling. Be careful to not overcook as the egg yolks curdle. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Immediately pour through a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Once strained, pour filling into the baked crust and evenly spread  with a small spatula. Cover the filling with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on top of the filling. Place pie in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill.

Step 5

Prepare meringue. In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Whip on medium speed for 1 minute and then increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. While on low speed, add the sugar and salt. Increase the speed back to high, and whip until stiff glossy peaks form.

Step 6

To top the pie with meringue, remove the pie from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap from the filling. Spoon the meringue on top of the filling and using a spatula, spread the meringue and using the edge of the spatula make decorative swirls and peaks. Ensure that the meringue touches the edges of the crust. This will help the meringue to stick and prevents any weeping when placed back in the refrigerator.

Step 7

To finish decorating the pie, take a small kitchen torch and turn on to a low flame. Move flame across the pie to evenly toast the meringue. If a kitchen torch is unavailable, place pie in a preheated 350°F oven and  bake for 20 minutes. Once the top of the meringue is finished, place in the refrigerator and chill for an additional 2 hours.