Mini Cranberry Meringue Pies Recipes

MILE-HIGH CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Let egg whites stand 30 minutes at room temperature., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. , Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack 15-20 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove foil and weights; bake 3-6 minutes longer or until bottom is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°., In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, 1-1/2 cups sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered, 4-6 minutes or until berries stop popping, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, flour and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot cranberry liquid; return all to saucepan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla., For meringue, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and remaining vanilla on medium speed until foamy. Add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Transfer hot filling to pastry. Spread meringue evenly over hot filling, sealing to edge of pastry. Bake 25-30 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

LEMON-CRANBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to an approximately 13-inch round. Transfer to a 9-by-2-inch fluted tart pan, or a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish. Trim dough to be flush with edges of pan.
• Line with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set and dry, about 25 minutes. Remove beans and parchment; continue baking until crust is golden on bottom, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Lemon Filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks, lemon zest, and 1 1/3 cups water until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; boil 1 minute.
• Remove from heat; whisk in lemon juice and butter until smooth. Pour mixture into crust. Refrigerate until filling is cool and set, about 30 minutes.
• Cranberry Gelée: Combine cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and 3/4 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; boil 1 minute. Press through a fine-mesh sieve (discarding solids), then pour over chilled and set lemon pudding in crust, gently spreading to edges with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until cold and set, at least 30 minutes or, loosely covered, up to 1 day. If using tart pan, remove pie from pan and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand.
• Meringue: In the bowl of a mixer set over (but not in) a bowl of simmering water, beat egg whites and sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture is hot. Transfer to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla, increase speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 8 minutes.
• Spoon meringue onto center of pie, spreading slightly and leaving a 1-inch border between meringue and crust. Wave a kitchen torch over meringue until browned in places. Cut pie into wedges; serve. (Pie is best eaten the same day.)