Lemon Meringue Pie From Cooking School
Submitted by bud4100
Lemon meringue pie from cooking school is the textbook version with a hand-rolled crust, cornstarch-and-flour curd, and a stable French meringue sealed to the crust. Detailed technique guarantees no weeping.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
20 minREADY
60 minLemon meringue pie from cooking school is the by-the-book version that pastry students learn before they’re allowed to riff. Every step is dialed in to deliver the textbook result: a flaky hand-rolled crust, a brilliant golden lemon filling, and a stable, glossy meringue that doesn’t weep or shrink.
The filling uses both cornstarch and flour as thickeners. Cornstarch alone gives a silky but slippery filling; flour alone tends pasty. Together they balance into a curd that holds clean slices and still feels velvety on the spoon.
The meringue is a classic French style: 4 egg whites stabilized with cream of tartar, then 6 tablespoons of sugar beaten in 2 tablespoons at a time. Slow sugar addition is the key to glossy stable peaks that hold their shape during baking.
Chef Tips
- Refrigerate the rolled crust for 30 minutes before baking. Cold gluten relaxes and prevents the shell from shrinking down the sides during the blind bake.
- Boil the cornstarch-flour-sugar mixture for a full minute until shiny and translucent. Underboiled starch tastes raw.
- Temper the egg yolks slowly. Stir hot mixture into the yolks first, never the reverse, to avoid curdling.
- Spread the meringue starting at the crust edges and seal the entire perimeter before filling the center. This is the single most important weep-prevention step.
- Cool the finished pie for the full 2½ to 3 hours on a rack. Cutting too early gives slumped wedges; properly cooled, it slices clean with a wet knife.
Variations
- Use Meyer lemons for a softer, more floral citrus profile.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the meringue alongside the sugar for a rounder flavor.
- Top with toasted slivered almonds for a crunchy textural finish.
Ingredients
Directions
On lightly floured pastry cloth, roll the pastry to an 11 inch circle, rolling with light strokes from center to edge.
Fold pastry in half; with fold in center, carefully transfer to a 9 inch pie plate.
Unfold; fit into a pie plate, pressing gently toward the center.
Fold edge of crust under; press into an upright rim.
Crimp edge decoratively, using thumb and forefinger.
Refrigerate ½ hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Prick entire surface evenly with fork.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden-brown.
Cool on rack.
In medium sauce pan, combine cornstarch, flour, 1 ¾ cups sugar and salt, mixing well.
Gradually add 2 cups water, stirring until smooth.
Overy medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring occasionally; boil 1 minute, until shiny and translucent.
Quickly stir some of hot mixture into yolks.
Pour back into hot mixture; stir to blend.
Return to heat; cook over low heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice, lemon peel and butter.
Pour into pie shell.
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃).
In medium bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat whites with cream of tartar until frothy.
Gradually beat in sugar, 2 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition.
Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form when beater is slowly raised.
Spread meringue over lemon filling, carefully sealing to edge of the crust and swirling thetop decoratively.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown.
Let cool completely on rack 2½ to 3 hours.
Cut with wet knife.
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