Happy Pi(e) Day!!

Just popping in to say a quick Happy Pi(e) Day!! Celebrate with this amazing Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie! Just look at those meringue peaks…listen, they’re calling out to you…

Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

Crust:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest

Meringue:
3 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Crust – Blend flour, sugar, and Meyer lemon zest in processor. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over and stir with fork until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfulls if mixture is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 20 minutes.

*Dough can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Gently roll up dough onto rolling pin and unroll into a 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Press into dish. Fold dough overhang under, even with edge of pie dish. Crimp dough edges decoratively. Freeze crust until firm, about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line frozen crust with nonstick aluminum foil. Fill foil with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue baking crust until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Let crust cool on rack while preparing filling.

Filling – Whisk sugar and cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in Meyer lemon juice. Whisk in egg yolks 1 at a time. Stir in Meyer lemon zest. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes. Spoon warm filling into crust; smooth top.

Meringue – Using electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt in large bowl until very soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, continue beating until mixture is stiff and glossy. Using silicone spatula, spread meringue over warm filling, covering to crust edges and creating peaks and swirls. Bake until meringue is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack and serve.

Recipe adapted from: bon appétit Desserts cookbook