Not too tart, not too sweet; just right! This lemon meringue pie is as tasty as it is easy to make - so stop using the mix in the box, and try it from scratch.<br /><br />Filling:<br />1¼ cups (300 mL / 260g) granulated sugar<br />6 Tbsp (75 mL / 66g) cornstarch<br />½ tsp (2 mL) salt<br />2 cups (500 mL) water<br />4 egg yolks, beaten<br />1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest<br />½ cup (125 mL) lemon juice 3-5 lemons<br />3 Tbsp (45 mL / 43g) butter<br />Blind baked 9" deep dish pie shell<br />Meringue:<br />5 egg whites, at room temperature<br />¼ tsp (1 mL) cream of tartar<br />⅓ cup (75 mL / 45g) instant dissolving (fruit) sugar<br /><br />Method:<br />Pre heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC)<br />Zest one lemon, and then juice all of the lemons to reach ¼ cup of juice. Separate the eggs.<br />In saucepan, mix cornstarch, sugar, salt, and water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes, still stirring. Remove from heat and whisk one-quarter into egg yolks, then whisk back into pan. Cook over medium heat, still stirring for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind, lemon juice and butter. Set aside.<br /><br />Meringue: In bowl, beat egg whites with cream or tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar slowly until stiff peaks form.<br /><br />Pour filling into cooled crust. Starting at edge spread meringue around outside of still hot filling. Sealing meringue to the crust, which prevents it from shrinking and pulling away.<br />Spread over remaining filling making peaks. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until meringue peaks are golden. Let cool on a rack for as long as you can stand it.
