DESCRIPTION
Made with juicy fresh squeezed lemons, and with its beautifully high meringue, this Lemon Meringue Pie will change your life!

Yields: 8-12 slices
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Crust
One 9-inch Pie Crust made with Rick's #1 Favorite Pie Crust Recipe
2 1/2 cups (12-1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter , cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup cold lard, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup vodka, cold
1/4 cup ice cold water

Custard Pie Filling
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 level Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cup boiling water

4 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 2 or 3 lemons)
3 heaping Tablespoons lemon zest (zest of 3 to 4 lemons)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons softened butter

Meringue
6 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 Dees-grees.

Pie Crust
Rick's #1 Favorite Pie Crust Recipe makes enough dough for a double crust. We recommend your making the full pie crust recipe and freezing half for future use. When crust is in the pie plate, with fork prick the bottom of the crust sever times before putting it into the oven.

1. Process 1½ cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and lard; process until homogeneous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds (dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade.

Add remaining 1 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty mixture into medium sized bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Divide dough into 2 equal balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes.

3. Remove 1 disk dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang. Ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with 1 hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand.

Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 40 minutes.

4. Remove from refrigerator and prepare to pre-bake pie crust in pre-warmed 350 Dees-grees oven until crust is lightly browned - approximately 10-12 minutes.

Pre-baking pie crust tips:
When the pie crust is sufficiently chilled, line the pie crust with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Fill at least two-thirds full with pie weights - dry beans, rice, or stainless-steel pie weights. Tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil when you bake your pie, to keep the edges from getting too dried out and burnt.

Bake with weights for 10-12 minutes until crust is firm. Remove from oven, cool a few minutes and carefully remove pie weights. Poke small holes in the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and return to oven (without the weights but with the tented edges around the rim) and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the crust is golden.

Remove from oven and set aside for lemon filling.

Prepare Lemon Filling
Combine first four dry ingredients in a saucepan. To that mixture gradually add the boiling water while stirring. Cook at medium until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly. Mixture should begin to thicken. Remove from heat.

Combine beaten egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir into saucepan containing thickened sugar mixture. Return to heat and stir constantly until mixture returns to a boil and again thickens.

Stir in butter and vanilla, continuing to stir, scraping the bottom of the saucepan as you stir until mixture again thickens. Boil 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spoon custard into prepared pre-baked pastry shell.

Meringue
Beat room temperature egg whites in mixing bowl until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla extract and continue beating well on high speed until still peaks hold.

Immediately spread meringue onto warm lemon filling, sealing edges to the pastry.

Bake
Bake pie at 350 Deesgrees until meringue is golden brown (just a few minutes). Enjoy!