RECIPE: OLD FASHIONED SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

My mom was an amazing pie maker- I've said it a million times. She made a pie or cobbler almost every single day and when I'd come home to Birmingham from my travels, I always knew I could always count on there being a Lemon Meringue Pie waiting for me.  It is one of my favorite memories and certainly one of my favorite pies. Make one of these for someone special in your life and start a tradition of your own.

I wish I could take credit for those gorgeous swirled tarts on the right- those are from Chez Fonfon in Birmingham. I just wanted to show you that meringue can be a light to deep golden brown, depending on your taste. They make the swirls using a large pastry bag fitted with a wide, flat tip.

OLD-FASHIONED SOUTHERN LEMON MERINGUE PIE

For a 9 inch pie or 8 tarts, depending on the size of your tart pans

INGREDIENTS

1- pie crust for a 9" pie plate, pre-baked (homemade or store bought)

LEMON MERINGUE FILLING

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks, beaten well. (Save the egg whites for the meringue)

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

MERINGUE

5 egg whites

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (find it in the spice aisle)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

FOR THE FILLING: Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the yolks in a heat-proof bowl and beat them until they are slightly thickened. Add the sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a medium saucepan. Use a fork to combine the ingredients. Add the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking each addition to incorporate very well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil exactly one minute, stirring constantly to keep it from burning. Remove from the heat. Carefully temper the egg yolks with the hot mixture by whisking 1/4 cup of the hot liquid into the eggs, stirring to incorporate. Whisk another 1/4 cup of the hot mixture to the eggs and then turn the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and butter. Stir well to combine. Set aside. 

FOR THE MERINGUE: Put the egg whites in a very clean mixing bowl. Beat on high speed for 30 seconds until the whites are frothy. Add the cream of tartar, beating on medium high until soft peaks form. Next, add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time until all the sugar is added and stiff, shiny peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.

ASSEMBLY: Some people butter the bottom of a baked pie shell to act as a barrier between the filling and the crust so it won't get soggy. I did not do this step but you can if you like. Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust. Spread the meringue over the pie filling. The key is to make sure to spread the meringue all the way to the edges so the meringue doesn't shrink away from the crust as it bakes.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until the meringue is golden. Cool the pie on a wire baking rack until it is cool (about 1 hour) and then put it into the refrigerator to cool completely before cutting it. (I usually allow it to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. You can chill it less time but the filling might be not be completely set.)

MY TOP 5 BISCUIT RECIPES FOR NATIONAL BISCUITS AND GRAVY DAY

FEBRUARY 21 IS NATIONAL BISCUITS AND GRAVY DAY!

What could be a better way to start the weekend than with biscuits and gravy? Here are four of my favorite biscuit recipes from my blog and a very entertaining interview with Alton Brown by William Shatner as Alton makes biscuits and gravy. His famous Ma Mae's biscuit and gravy recipe is below.

MOM'S WEEKNIGHT BUTTERMILK BISCUITS The recipe my mom made most often. While she never wrote it down, I made these with her so many times, I doubt I will ever forget how to make them. Get the recipe...

THREE INGREDIENT WHIPPING CREAM BISCUITS My mom would make these biscuits at times if she wanted to serve Strawberry Shortcake and had no cake. They are not sweet but certainly sweeter than buttermilk biscuits. Get the recipe...

BACON CHEDDAR BISCUITS While the texture of these wonderful bites is more like a muffin than a biscuit, take care to make them when you have a crowd or you will eat the entire batch. Get the recipe...

BISCUITS AND CHOCOLATE GRAVY It is said that women living on farms around North Alabama would make chocolate gravy for leftover breakfast biscuits as a treat for the children when they could not afford sweets or desserts. Now, they are more of a brunch item. Made with cocoa and sugar, they are affordable yet rustic decadence. Get the recipe...

ALTON BROWN'S BISCUITS AND GRAVY RECIPE Alton makes his Ma Mae's biscuits and gravy for William Shatner during an episode of Shatner's Brown Bag Tastings. For Alton, a booze and Star Trek lover, that experience must have been the pinnacle. Watch the episode if you want a chuckle. They don't walk through the recipe but Alton does share quite a lot about himself during his chat with Shatner. Get the recipe or watch the video.

RECIPE: MOM'S TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Growing up, we always had homemade biscuits, cornbread, or rolls with our supper. My mom would make these biscuits for supper most nights or for breakfast on Saturday. She must have made thousands of them; if her biscuit pan could only talk! There were always a few on the stove. We loved to split and toast the leftovers and drizzle them with honey for a sweet treat. Since we were a family of six, my mom would roll these out thinner than the kind of biscuits folks like today… but I still prefer a thin biscuit because that’s what I grew up with. If you like them super fluffy, roll them out thicker. If you like them with “flaky layers” - you need to roll out your dough and then and fold them over multiple times (it is called “laminating” the dough like it is done for croissants) to get that result. I fold like a letter going into an envelope— in thirds. Then into a small square. Roll and repeat at least 3-4 times. But I chill the dough prior to baking.

If, like me, you like them on the thinner side, then follow the directions below. Happy rolling! xo

MOM'S SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Cook Time: 15 minutes

DIRECTIONS:

½ cup cold butter (one stick)

2 cups self-rising flour

¾ cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or fork. Add the buttermilk. Stir just until moistened. Turn out onto a floured work surface. Flour rolling pin. Knead 3-4 times. Roll dough ¾” thick. Cut with a 2” circle biscuit cutter that you flour between each cut. Place on a greased baking sheet about 1/4" apart for fluffy biscuits. Separate them by 1" for a crisper biscuit. Brush with melted butter and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about a dozen.