LEMON MERINGUE PIE WITH PECAN CRUST

Lemon Meringue Pie with Pecan Crust image

Categories Mixer Dessert Bake Picnic Lemon Pecan Summer Family Reunion Chill Potluck Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Peanut Free Soy Free Kosher

Yield Serves 8

Number Of Ingredients 17

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Ingredients

For crust
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup cake flour
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons (about) ice water
For filling and topping
1 3/4 cups plus 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Steps:

Make crust:
Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl; add butter and shortening. Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water. Beat until dough holds together, adding more water by 1/2 tablespoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap disk in waxed paper and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 12-inch round. Peel off top sheet of paper. Invert dough into 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish; peel off paper. Press dough gently into dish. Trim overhang to 3/4 inch; turn under and crimp edge decoratively. Freeze crust until firm, about 30 minutes.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust until golden at edge, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans; continue to bake until crust is pale golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, about 12 minutes. Cool completely on rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Make filling and topping:
Whisk 1 3/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups water and lemon juice, whisking until cornstarch dissolves and mixture is smooth. Add yolks and peel; whisk to blend. Cook over medium-high heat until filling thickens and boils, whisking constantly, about 8 minutes. Pour into prepared crust.
Using electric mixer, beat whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff and shiny. Mound meringue atop warm lemon filling, spreading to seal to crust at edges.
Bake pie until meringue is golden, about 20 minutes. Cool pie 1 hour. Refrigerate up to 6 hours; serve cold.