How to Make a Lemon Pie With Meringue That Won't Shrink

Notice how the meringue is overlapping the crust.

Lemon meringue pie is an all-time favorite. It's tart and sweet, and it's even lovely to look at -- a perfect desert -- until the meringue messes up. It starts to shrink away from the crust and gets a shriveled look that's very unappetizing. This happens to the best of cooks, but the secret is in the meringue placement before you bake it. Use a surefire recipe to keep the meringue where you put it.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
• Prepared pie crust
• large egg whites
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Small saucepan
• Large bowl
• Mixer with whip attachment (attachment optional)

Instructions

Lemon Filling

1. Mix the salt, sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Add the egg yolks all at once and then slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups water, a little at a time, whisking the mixture as you pour.

2. Keep whisking the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a simmering boil. It should take 9 or 10 minutes to thicken properly.

3. Remove the mixture from heat. Whisk in the lemon zest. Add the lemon juice and the butter. Pour the pie filling into the crust, spreading it evenly, while it's still warm.

Meringue

1. Stir the cornstarch into the 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan until it completely dissolves. Heat until it's simmering, stirring occasionally with a wire whisk. Remove from the heat when the mixture becomes thickened and translucent.

2. Set the oven to 350 degrees F to preheat. Mix the cream of tartar and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.

3. Beat the egg whites -- they will have the greatest volume at room temperature -- in a ceramic bowl. Don't use a plastic bowl as plastic can contain traces of oil, which will affect your meringue. A mixer with a whip attachment works well, but a regular mixer will also work.

4. Beat in the sugar mixture slowly, adding about a tablespoon at a time. Add the cornstarch mixture 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.

5. Spoon the mixture onto the pie filling, covering evenly. The trick to a meringue that will not separate is to make sure the meringue overlaps the crust all the way around. This seals the meringue to the crust so that it won't shrink away from it.

6. Put the pie in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the meringue is golden brown.

Tips & Warnings

• The trick to the filling is to keep stirring as instructed. Don't use a heat setting any higher than medium.

References

• FoodNetwork.com: Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe