Lemon Pies....

Yum, Yum!  For my mother in law's birthday celebration, I was asked to bring Lemon Meringue Pie.  Since there was more people than 1 pie would feed, I made a variation of the Lemon Meringue- a Cream Cheese Lemon Meringue, as well as the traditional Lemon Meringue.  Here are the recipes for both:

Lemon Meringue Pie
1 baked pie shell
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 TB cornstarch
2 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
3 TB butter
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp vinegar

Meringue:
1 TB cornstarch
2 TB cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
6 TB sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix together sugar and cornstarch in a heavy pan.  Add the two cups of water.  Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat.  Add eggs to rest of mixture.  Cook until thick (this takes about 20 minutes). Add lemon extract, butter, and vinegar, and stir thoroughly.  Pour into a deep 9 inch pie shell and let cool.  Cover with meringue and brown in oven.

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan.  Add boiling water and cook, stirring, until clear and thickened.  Let stand until completely cold.  With electric beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy.  Gradually add sugar and beat until STIFF, but not dry.  Turn mixer to low speed, add salt and vanilla.  Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture.  Turn mixer again to high speed and beat well.  Spread meringue over cooled pie filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until brown.  This meringue cuts beautifully and never gets sticky.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
1 baked pie crust (or 1 graham cracker crust)

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Lemon Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 TB cornstarch
dash salt
1 cup water
2 egg yolks (save the whites if you want merengue)
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar, vanillan and an egg using an electric mixer.  Mix well untl smooth.  Pour cream cheese filling into crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is cooked.  A knife stuck int he middle of the filling should come out mostly clean.  As the pie cools, make the lemon filling by combining 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch, salt and water in a small saucepan.  Set mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often.  Wisk in egg yolks, then add lemon juice and butter.  When mixture simmers again remove it immediately from the heat.  Pour the lemon filling over the cream cheese filling, and let the pie cool.  When cool, chill pie in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.  If desired, top with merengue and brown in oven.  See recipe for merengue above.

Related Posts by Categories

Widget by Hoctro | DreamyDonkey