Lemon Meringue Pie

My wonderful sister gave me The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook for Christmas this year. It has some wonderful dishes and the first one I tried was the Lemon Meringue Pie. I thought this would be muy difícil but it really wasnt! Even for a not such great baker as I am, this turned out amazing!

"Lemon meringue pie is actually more American than apple pie. Apple pies were being made in England long before the colonists came over. Open pies, without a top crust, or pies topped with meringue tend to be American. Lemon meringue pie is a bit complex, but it’s so worth it!" -Dinah Bucholz

Lemon Meringue Pie

by The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook

**A note before beginning, dont bake if there is humidity. It'll cause your meringue to weep!**

Pie Crust:
(I bought the crust from Wal-Mart 'cause this was one of the recipes that I decided to make at 10 at night on a whim. So I didnt have time to make a crust myself! But here is the recipe for it for those of you with time!)

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp cold butter (stick, cut into chunks)
• 4 tbsp vegetable shortening (chilled, cut into chunks)
• 4-6 tbsp ice water

1. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle the butter and shortening over the flour and pulse around 15x 'til it resembles yellow meal. Bring mixture into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle 4 tbsp of ice water over the mixture and toss with a spatula 'til it starts to clump together (if its dry add more water). Gather dough into a ball, pat into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour to 3 days.
2. On floured surface, roll dough to a 11-inch circle. Fold into quarters and brush off the excess flour after each fold. Unfold dough into the pie pan. Trim the dough, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and crimp the edges to your own liking. Prick the bottom sides with a fork and put the crust in the freezer for about 30 min. Pre-heat oven to 425°
3. Spread a aluminum sheet inside the frozen crust; press the foil into the edges and cover the rim. Fill pie with pie weights or beans and bake 'til the crust is dry and set, 15-20 min. Reduce temp to 350°. Remove foil and continue to bake 'til the crust is golden brown, about 8 more min.

Filling:

• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten (save the whites for the meringue!)
• 1/2 lemon juice
• 2tbsp butter

Meringue:

• 4 large egg whites (from the eggs above)
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar

1. Filling first! Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and water in a small heavy bottomed saucepan and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over low hear, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. **It takes a little time, but dont move on to the next step until it looks like normal lemon meringue filling!**
2. Whisk in the yolks and stir until its thick and bubbling. Remove from hear and add the lemon juice and butter. Stir gently until it is fully combined.
3. Now the Meringue!! But a note first ***Make sure the bowl and the beaters are squeaky clean!!! Water and grease free. VERY IMPORTANT!*** Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla until soft mounds form. Add the sugar gradually while beating on medium speed. Once all the sugars in beat on med-high until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, not dry. *Have a taste, its super tasty!*
4. Pre-heat oven to 350°, and pour the filling into the crust. Spread the meringue over the filling, and MAKE SURE to spread over the edges to prevent the meringue from shrinking. Make pretty peaks and swirls with a back of a spoon.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the meringue browns slightly. Let cool and ENJOY!