Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (10 oz) graham crackers
  • 1¾ C sugar, divided
  • ½ C slivered almonds
  • 1 stick (4 oz) + 2 Tbs butter, divided
  • 5 eggs, yolks & whites separated
  • 1½ C (12 oz) water
  • ⅓ C & ½ tsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ C (4 oz) lemon juice
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 2 Tbs butter, room temp
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • ¼ tsp distilled white vinegar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat a 9" pie pan with cooking spray.
  2. Prepare pie crust by placing graham crackers, ¼ cup sugar, and almonds in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumb forms. Melt one stick butter and add to food processor. Pulse on high until crumb looks moist and starts to pull together. Pour crumb mixture into prepared pan, and press firmly and evenly into base and up sides of pan.
  3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm to touch. Place parchment over crust, place pie weights on top of parchment (or use an 8-inch cake pan in place of weights), and par-bake crust for 20 minutes. Let crust cool slightly before removing pie weights and filling with curd.
  4. While crust is cooling, prepare filling by whisking egg yolks together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  5. Combine water, 1 cup sugar, ⅓ cup cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, whisking occasionally until mixture is bubbling and thick, almost gel-like.
  6. Decrease heat to low and temper mixture with egg yolks by slowly streaming approximately half a cup of lemon mixture into egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Then, slowly pour tempered mixture back into heated lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Once combined, increase heat to medium-low and continue to cook mixture until edges start to boil.
  7. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until combined. Pour filling into par-baked pie crust and set aside.
  8. Begin meringue topping by placing egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
  9. Add remaining ½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping for 20 seconds after each addition. Continue whisking until meringue reaches firm peaks and is glossy in appearance.
  10. Add remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch and vinegar to meringue and fold in by hand with spatula.
  11. Pile meringue on top of filling and spread out with small offset spatula. Make sure meringue covers entire filling and lines up to crust. Bake pie for 20 to 25 minutes until meringue is golden brown.
  12. Turn oven off and crack oven door, allowing the meringue to cool down slowly. After 30 minutes, transfer pan to wire cooling rack and let cool for another 30 minutes. When pan is cool to the touch, move to refrigerator and let set for 2 to 3 hours. Do not cover yet — the pie is still warm, and the moisture will cause the meringue to weep.
  13. Once set, slice, serve, and enjoy! This pie is best on the very day it is baked, as meringue does not refrigerate well. If you are going to store it, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for as short of time as possible.