Let’s Start With Dessert: A Birthday Celebration In Food

Food IS a celebration and should be partaken with abandon, so why not start with dessert?

My handsome, hunky, fantastic husband claims to NOT be a foodie. He’s says he leaves that to me and he’ll just enjoy whatever I create. It was his birthday this past weekend I planned an entire day of awesome dishes; I asked him what he would like Mother’s Cake or Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie?

PIE!

Your wish is my command.

Auntie’s Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie

1 recipe of Auntie’s Meyer Lemon Pie Filling (it’s just Lemon Curd)

1/2 recipe of Pâte Brisée (I’ve always used Martha’s)

1 recipe Meringue:

4 Egg Whites

½ C. granulates Sugar

¼ tsp. Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Salt

Make the pie dough first; roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap, it’s easier that way, into approximately a 13 inch disc, an 1/8^th inch thick. Place gently in a 9 inch pie plate. Trim away all but 1 inch of excess and crimp. I chose to trim the crust right to the edge of the plate, less fuss. Prick the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork several times; cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400⁰F

Place a piece of parchment paper carefully over the pie shell and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake for 10 minutes and then remove the paper and rice; bake for another 12 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a rack.

Once the shell is cooled spoon in the filling and spread it out evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until the filling is firm.

In a stand mixer, add the eggs, salt, cream of tartar and whisk on low speed until it starts to foam. Increase in speed to Medium-High and beat to soft peaks. Slow the machine down a little and add the sugar in a slow, steady stream; increase the speed again to High until you have stiff peaks.

Preheat the oven now to 350⁰F

Remove the plastic from the filled pie shell and add about half of the meringue, spreading it out to the edge of the crust, covering the filling completely. Now mound the rest of the meringue, making lots of peaks that will brown and look pretty.

I used a large open star tip, Wilton® 1M, and a pastry bag filled with the remaining meringue to decorate the top. Hold the bag at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the pie, squeeze and pull up to create those beautiful peaks.