Vermont Maple Cream Meringue Pie Recipes

MAPLE CREAM MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll crust to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Trim and flute edge. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights. Bake on a lower oven rack until golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in syrup and cream. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat., Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter. Pour into pastry shell., In a large bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust., Bake until meringue is golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

VERMONT MAPLE CREAM MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• 1. Filling: In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir in syrup and cream. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to medium; cook. stirring constantly, 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
• 2. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; stirring well and return mixture to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter. Pour into baked pie shell.
• 3. Brown Sugar Meringue: In a large bowl, beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the brown sugar,1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar has dissolved( dissolving is very important with any kind of sugar). Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to the crust!
• 4. Bake at 350^ for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Then Chill for 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

ULTIMATE LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pastry, put the plain flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk (save the white for the meringue) and 1 tbsp cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mix starts to bind - make sure the mix is not overworked.
• Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface, gather together until smooth, then roll out and line a 23 x 2.5cm loose-bottom fluted flan tin. Trim and neaten the edges. Press pastry into the flutes. The pastry is quite rich, so don't worry if it cracks, just press it back together. Prick the base with a fork, line with foil, shiny side down, and chill for 30 mins-1 hr (or overnight).
• Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the pastry case 'blind' (filled with dry beans) for 15 mins, then remove the foil and bake a further 5-8 mins until the pastry is pale golden and cooked. Set aside. Can be done a day ahead. Lower the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling. Mix the cornflour, golden caster sugar and lemon zest in a medium saucepan. Strain and stir in the lemon juice gradually. Make the orange juice up to 200ml with water and strain into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
• Once the mixture bubbles, remove from the heat and beat in the butter until melted. Beat the egg yolks (save white for meringue) and the whole egg together, stir into the pan and return to a medium heat. Keep stirring vigorously for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens and plops from the spoon. (It will bubble, but doesn't curdle.) Take off the heat and set aside while you make the meringue.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl. Whisk to soft peaks, then add 100g of the golden caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking between each addition without overbeating. Whisk in the cornflour, then add the remaining 100g of sugar as before until smooth and thick.
• Quickly reheat the filling and pour it into the pastry case. Immediately put spoonfuls of meringue around the edge of the filling (if you start in the middle, the meringue may sink), then spread so it just touches the pastry (this will anchor it and help stop it sliding). Pile the rest into the centre, spreading so it touches the surface of the hot filling (and starts to cook), then give it all a swirl.
• Return to the oven for 18-20 mins until the meringue is crisp and slightly coloured. Let the pie sit in the tin for 30 mins, then remove and leave for at least another 30 mins-1 hr before slicing. Eat the same day.