My mother’s pie crust recipe.  This pie crust recipe was only used for her lemon meringue pies. I learned my cooking skills from the very best. Everything she baked or cooked was made with love.  This is why it always turned out so brilliantly and what made her such an excellent cook.

Mom’s Pie Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 Tbsp sugar

½ cup butter (room temperature)

11/2 cups flour

11/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt (1/4 tsp)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• Mix egg, sugar, and butter together with a whisk or fork.  I always use my hands after the initial mixing to make sure everything is well mixed before adding the dry ingredients.
• Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing well with your hands after each addition until you form a soft pastry that can be pressed into the pie plate.  You may not need all the flour mixture.  The pastry should be soft and pliable not dry. Form into a ball.
• Grease a 9” pie plate (I use a glass pie plate)
• Put the pastry ball into the middle of the pie plate and press out on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. (*press into sides of the plate first and then fill in the bottom)
• Prick the pie crust all over the sides and bottom with the tines of a fork (this prevents the crust from puffing up)
• Put in preheated 325 degrees oven for approximately 30 min or until the crust is lightly browned. Check the outer edge and when that is lightly brown take the pastry shell out. Remember oven temperatures may differ so watch carefully to not overbake.

*The pie will go back into the oven for the meringue to cook, so you do not want to overbake the crust at this point.

Lemon filling

Ingredients:

11/2 cups sugar

6 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

2 cups water

5 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

2 lemons (juiced)

1Tbsp grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp butter

Method:

• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan
• Stir in the water, lemon juice, and lemon zest
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Place slightly beaten egg yolks in a bowl and gradually mix in ½ cup of the hot sugar mixture.
• Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining hot sugar mixture
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook until thick.
• Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp butter to the mixture stirring until well mixed
• Pour filling into baked pastry shell

Meringue Topping

Ingredients:

5 egg whites (room temperature)

½ cup sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar (optional)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until foamy
• Add the cream of tartar to the sugar and mix
• Gradually add the sugar mixture to the egg whites
• Beat until soft peaks form (do not overbeat)
• Spread meringue over pie filling, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in preheated 325 degrees oven until the meringue is golden brown (about 15-20 minutes) Watch carefully as the meringue can burn and everyone’s oven temperature could be a little different.

*Keep an eye on the meringue so it does not burn.