Lemon Meringue Pie

This Lemon Meringue Pie is from Joy of Cooking. I enjoyed it so much I had to share the recipe with everyone. I used Deluxe Butter Pie Pastry Dough for the crust and it melted in my mouth. The Meringue topping is included and you won't have to worry about this one weeping. Try this and you probably won't be able to stop eating it but who cares since Lemon Meringue Pie is low fat right? Enjoy. Time does not include cooling off period :)

• Ready In: 42 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch)  pie crusts, baked

• THE FILLING

• 1 1⁄2 cups white sugar
• 6  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3  egg yolks, beaten

• THE MERINGUE

• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 4  egg whites, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, preferably superfine

Directions

1. THE PIE FILLING:
2. Preheat oven to 400°.
3. In small bowl, beat egg yolks with fork.
4. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar,salt,and cornstarch.
5. gradually stir in water and lemon juice.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
7. Immediately stir at least half of hot mixture into egg yolks and butter. stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 2 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in lemon peel, Pour into pie crust.
8. THIS IS THE MERINGUE:
9. Mix thoroughly cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan.
10. Gradually stir in water , making a smooth runny paste.
11. Bring water to a boil over mediun heat, while stirring briskly. Boil for 15 seconds and remove from heat and cover.
12. In a clean glass or metal bowl beat the egg whites until foamy.
13. Add vanilla and cream of tartar.
14. Very gradually beat in sugar.
15. Beat on high speed untiil the peaks are very stiff and glossy but not dry.
16. Reduce the speed to very low and beat in the cornstarch paste one teaspoon at a time.
17. When all the paste is incorporated, increase tthe speed tomedium and beat beat for 10 seconds.
18. Spread over Lemon Meringue filling Pie.
19. Bake for 8 -12 minutes at 400°.
20. Let cool completely on rack before refrigerating or eating.