Recipes Using Lemon Pie Filling

OLD FASHIONED LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a double boiler, combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Stir in water, mixing well. Cook until mixture is thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and beat well. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of cornstarch mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly.
• Pour egg yolk mixture back into cornstarch mixture in double boiler, continuing to whisk constantly. Return double boiler to heat and cook mixture 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
• Stir butter or margarine, lemon juice, and lemon rind into thickened mixture. Allow mixture to cool, then pour into pie shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large metal or glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add 6 tablespoons sugar a little at a time, continuing to beat until all sugar is incorporated and whites are stiff. Spread meringue into pie shell, making sure to completely cover lemon filling.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, just until meringue is golden brown. Chill before serving.

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

EASIEST EVER LEMON SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine flour and sugar, then butter until the mixture clumps together. Press firmly into 8" (20cm) square pan. Bake at 350 (180C) oven 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and spread with jam.
• Beat eggs until light and creamy. Beat in pie filling and ground almonds. Pour over jam layer. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until set and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into squares.
• Hint: For Lemon Coconut Squares substitute 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut for the ground almonds and sliced almonds.

WORLD'S BEST LEMON PIE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir 1 cup of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to saucepan. Bring to boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Pour into pastry shell. In a bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff but not dry peaks are formed. Gradually beat in sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over pie, sealing edges to pastry. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

LEMON FILLING

Steps:

• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute longer; remove from heat.
• Stir in butter and lemon peel until butter is melted. Gradually stir in lemon juice and food color. Press plastic wrap on filling to prevent a tough layer from forming on top. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set.
• Leftover filling can be tightly covered and refrigerated up to 5 days; do not freeze. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to soften; stir before using. Store cakes or pastries filled with Lemon Filling covered in refrigerator.