Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
• 2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 1 (9-in) pie crust, fully baked and cooled
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar

Before you start

• Blind-bake the pie crust: line with foil and weights, bake 425°F about 20 min, remove weights, bake 5 to 8 min more until the bottom is golden; cool about 30 min.
• Lower oven to 350°F.
• Separate the eggs; let the whites come to room temperature.

Directions

1. Whisk in a saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick and bubbling: sugar, cornstarch, salt, water.
2. Whisk a little hot mixture into yolks, stir back into pan, boil 1 min, stirring: step 1, egg yolks.
3. Off heat, stir in: step 2, unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons), lemon zest.
4. Pour hot filling into: step 3, pie crust.
5. Beat to soft peaks: egg whites, cream of tartar.
6. Beat in a spoonful at a time to stiff, glossy peaks: step 5, sugar.
7. Spread over hot filling, sealing to the crust edge: step 4, step 6.
8. Bake 350°F 12 to 15 min, until golden: step 7.
9. Cool 1 hr, chill at least 3 hr before slicing: step 8.