Ashley's Divine Lemon Meringue Pie

I don't know exactly how I got this recipe to this point. I tried alot of different ones, and they were either bad, the meringue wasn't fluffy, the lemon filing wasn't creamy, etc. etc. I guess I just took the best techniques from the bunch, and put this together, and it is probably one of my best dishes.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups milk
• 4  eggs, seperated
• 1  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
• 1⁄3 cup lemon juice
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 1  baked  9-inch pie shell
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄4 cup sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring until belnded. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. Beat egg yolks at high speed with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Gradually stir about one fourth of the hot milk mixture into the yolks; add to remaining milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon rind, lemon juice, and butter. Spoon into pastry shell.
3. Beat egg whites ( at room temp) and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Gradually add 1/4 plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form, and sugar is dissolved.Beat in vanilla. Spoon meringue over hot filling, seal to the edge of pastry, be sue to sal all the way around, and seal well, or meringue will shrink.
4. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes or until browned.