3 Pies

I think of all the cream pies or custard pies that I make, lemon meringue is my favorite. I will share my recipe for lemon meringue pie and how to make a great high meringue. Rick's favorite was coconut cream pie. It was also a big hit at family and church dinners, but so is the lemon. I could never stand the texture of coconut.

A hint with the lemon meringue pie, when making the meringue, I use lemon juice instead of vanilla. I don't add the sugar until the meringue is already in soft peaks.

Lemon Meringue Pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1/8 tsp salt
4 egg yolks (save whites, separate carefully)
1 3/4 cup water
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
pre-baked 9" pie crust

Combine the sugar, salt and cornstarch in a heavy kettle with a whisk and set aside. Lightly whip the egg yolks in a bowl with a whisk, then stir in the water and lemon juice. Next, gently stir liquid into the sugar mixture and place on burner over low-medium heat. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly and comes to gentle boil. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, stir in butter. Spoon into pastry shell. Top with meringue and place in 325 degree oven approximately 25 minutes until lightly browned.

Meringue

4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice (or vanilla)

Place egg whites in mixing bowl (a stand mixer, any brand with a whisk attachment makes lovely meringue) and beat on high speed until soft peaks begin to form. While the mixer is running, add sugar 1 to 2 tbsp at a time until all sugar is incorporated into meringue. After stiff peaks form, I add the lemon juice or vanilla. Top hot filling with fresh meringue. Brown as above.

Chocolate Cream Pie
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp corn starch
1/3 cup cocoa
dash of salt
Combine dry ingredients in heavy kettle

in mixing bowl, combine:
4 egg yolks lightly whipped
2 cups milk

stir milk mixture into sugar mixture, place on burner and cook over low-medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil until thick stir often to prevent scorching. When mixture is thick, remove from heat and add 1/2 stick butter (real) and 1 tsp vanilla. After butter is melted, stir into pie filling. Spoon into baked 9" pie crust, top with meringue and brown as in lemon meringue recipe.

For coconut cream pie, leave out the cocoa and add one small bag minus 1/4 cup (don't toast the 1/4 cup coconut, it is for the meringue) coconut lightly toasted to filling at the same time as the vanilla. Top with meringue and sprinkle on the untoasted coconut, place in oven and brown as above.

Enjoy!