Dad’s Lemon Meringue Pie

Prepare the prebaked pie crust.

In a 2-3 quart, sift the sugar, corn starch, and salt. Gradually blend in the cold water and lemon juice. When smooth, add the well-beaten egg yoks and butter, blending through.

Stirring constantly, gradually add the boiling water. Bring mixture to a full boil, stirring gently. As it begins to thicken, reduce the heat and allow it to simmer slowly for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated lemon peel.

Pour into the baked pie shell and cover with meringue and bake as directed below.

For the meringue topping:

Heat oven to 325ºF to 350ºF.

Whip the egg whites until frothy. (Note: make sure they are room temperature. Let them sit out for an hour or so.) Add the cream of tartar. Whip until stiff, but not dry, until the egg whites stand in peaks and lean over slightly when the beater is removed.

Beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not overbeat. Beat in the vanilla.

Spread onto the pie and bake 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meringue. Bake until peaks of meringue are slightly browned.

Tips: Lower heat will dry the meringue, higher heat will cause the egg protein to shrink or shrivel. Have utensils free of grease and make sure the egg whites at about 70 degrees with no traces of yolk.