Shelly's Recipe

LEMON ANGEL PIE

Category: Pies - Cream and Custard

Meringue crust
4 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 tsp distilled white vinegar or 1/4tsp cream of tartar
1 cup superfine sugar (see note)
2 tsp cornstarch

Filling
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
Grated peel of 2 lemons (about 2 tbsp, yellow part only)
1 cup whipping cream

Optional garnishes:
Sweetened whipped cream, shreds of lemon peel and fresh mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350 . Line a shallow 9 inch pie pan with parchment paper. (Cut out a 12-inch circle and place in pan, pleating paper so it lies flat around the sides.)

To make meringue crust: Place egg whites in a clean bowl of a free-standing mixer fitted with a whisk. Beat on medium-low speed until the whites are frothy, about 1 to 11/2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high, add salt and vinegar, and slowly add the sugar (1 to 2 tbsp at a time), beating until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. (If using a hand-held mixer this may take longer.)

Increase speed to high and beat until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the cornstarch during the last minute. Spread meringue on top of parchment paper and use the back of a large spoon to make the edges higher on the sides.

Place on middle rack of oven and reduce heat to 300 . Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave the meringue inside with the door shut until completely cool, about 4 hours.

To make filling: Beat egg yolks well, then combine with sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in the top of a double boiler. Mix well. Cook over simmering water until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Mixture is thick enough when it mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature, about 1 to 11/2 hours.

Whip cream until stiff. Fold whipped cream into cooled filling. Place in cooled meringue crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Just before serving, garnish top with whipped cream, lemon peel shreds or fresh mint leaves. Note: If superfine sugar is not available, place a generous cup of regular sugar in a food processor or blender and blend for 15 seconds. Or use the new Baker's Sugar. Measure out 1 cup.

Variations: If you want your crust to be white rather than a pale beige, bake the meringue at 250 to 275 for 1 hour. For a stronger lemon flavor, fold only half of the whipped cream into the filling and use the remainder for garnish. However, the lemon part of the filling makes only about 1 cup, so adding all the whipped cream to the filling makes it fill the crust more completely.