Recipe By : Cook's Illustrated 11/12/94
Serving Size : 9 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pies Fruits
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Graham cracker-coated shell
1 1/4 c All-purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Sugar
6 tb Unsalted chilled butter -- cut
-into 1/4" pieces
6 tb Unsalted chilled butter -- cut
-into 1/4" pieces
4 tb All-purpose vegetable
-shortening -- chilled
3 tb Water, cold; up to 4 tb
1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs
Lemon Filling:
1 c Sugar
1/4 c Corn starch
1/8 ts Salt
1 1/2 c Water, cold
6 lg Egg yolks
1 tb Zest from 1 lemon
1/2 c Juice from 2 or 3 lemons
2 tb Unsalted butter
Meringue Topping:
1 tb Corn starch
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1/2 c Sugar
4 lg Egg whites
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
For the pie shell, mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor
fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture,
tossing to coat butter with a little of the flour. Cut butter into
flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening; continue cutting
in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with
butter bits no larger than a small pea, about 1-second pulses.
Turn mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle 3 tb cold water over mixture. Using rubber spatula, fold
water into mixture; press down on dough mixtue with broad side of
spatula, fold water into mixture; press down on dough sticks
together. If dough will not come together, add up to 1 tb more cold
water. Shape dough into ball, then flatten into 4-inch-wide disk.
Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30
minutes before rolling.
Generously sprinkle work area with 2 tb graham cracker crumbs.
Place dough on work area. Scatter a few more crumbs over dough.
Roll dough from center to edges, turning it into a 9-inch disk,
rotating a quarter turn after each stroke and sprinkling additional
crumbs underneath and on top as necessary to coat heavily. Flip
dough over, and continue to roll, but not rotate, to form a 13-inch
disk slighly less than 1/8-inch thick.
Fold dough in quarters; place dough point in center of 9-inch Pyrex
pie pan. Unfold to cover pan completely, letting excess dough
drape over pan lip. To fit dough to pan, lift edge of dough with
one hand and press dough in pan bottom with other hand; repeat
process around circumference of pan to ensure dough fits properly
and is not stretched. Trim all around, 1/2-inch past lip of pan.
Tuck 1/2 inch of overhanging dough under so folded edge is flush
with lip pan; press to seal. Press thumb and index finger about
1/2-inch apart against outside edge of dough, then use index finger
or knuckle of other hand to poke a dent on inside edgeof dough
through opening created by the other fingers. Repeat to flute
around perimeter of pie shell.
Refrigerate until firm, aout 30 minutes. Prick shell at 1/2-inch
intervals; press a doubled 12-inch square of aluminum foil into pie
shell; prick again and refrigerate a least 30 minutes.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake, checking occasionally for ballooning, until crust is firmly
set, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F,
remove foil, and continue to bake until crust is crisp and rich
brown in color, about 10 minutes longer.
For the filling, mix first four ingredients in a large,
non-reactive saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat,
whisking occasionally at beginning of the process and more
frequently as mixture begins to thicken. When mixture starts to
simmer and turn translucent, whisk in egg yolks, two at a time.
Whisk in zest, then lemon juice, and finally butter. Bring mixture
to a good simmer, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, place
plastic wrap directly on surface of filling to keep hot and prevent
skin from forming.
For the meringue, mix corn starch with 1/3 cup water in small
saucepan; bring to simmer, whisking occasionally at beginning and
more frequently as mixture thickens. When mixture starts to simmer
and turn translucent, remove from heat. Leet cool while beating
egg whites.
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Mix cream of tartar and sugar
together. Beat egg whites and vanilla until frothy. Beat in sugar
mixture, 1 tb at a time; until sugar is incorporated and mixture
forms soft peaks. Add corn starch mixture, 1 tb at a time; continue
to beat meringue to stiff peaks. Remove plastic from filling and
return to very low heat during last minute or so of beating
meringue (to ensure filling is hot).
