World’s Best Lemon Pie

Total Time: Prep: 45 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min. + cooling，Makes: 8 servings

Mother’s pies were always so memorable, with tender, flaky crusts. In summer the order of the day was lemon meringue! —Phyllis Kirsling, Junction City, Wisconsin

Ingredients

• Dough for single-crust pie
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 3 large egg yolks, beaten
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• MERINGUE:
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.
4. Gradually stir 1 cup hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Pour into pie crust.
5. In a bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over pie, sealing edge to crust. Bake at 350° until meringue is golden, 12-15 minutes. Cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

NutritionFacts

1 piece: 385 calories, 15g fat (9g saturated fat), 103mg cholesterol, 338mg sodium, 59g carbohydrate (38g sugars, 1g fiber), 5g protein.