Lemon Meringue Pie (Mom's recipe)

Lemon Meringue Pie

This recipe is from my mother, Marlys Paugh.  She told me it is one of her favorite pies.  I can’t quite believe I have waited so long to make this a gluten-free version.  The recipe is naturally free of soy and dairy, so it was just a matter of using a gluten free crust.

Filling to be prepared in the microwave:

1 ½ cups sugar

1/3 plus 2 TBSP cornstarch

2 cups boiling water (optional – I steeped lemon zest in 2 cups water overnight, then strained it before using it in this recipe).

2 TBSP butter

½ tsp. salt

½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

4 eggs, separated.

Blend sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Boil water in 4 cup glass bowl and mix in dry ingredients.  Cook and stir until thick and clear (stop at 1 minute intervals to stir the mixture to prevent lumps from forming).  Stir in beaten egg yolks (add some hot mixture to the egg yolks first).  Cook 2 minutes more (stopping after 1 minute to stir).  Add butter and lemon juice.  Pour into baked pie shell and top with meringue.

Meringue

Beat 4 egg whites and ¼ tsp. cream of tarter until foamy.  Add ½ cup sugar gradually and beat until stiff.  Pile on filling, sealing the edges.  Bake 375 until brown.

Gluten Free Pie Crust (2 shells)

½ cup tapioca flour

½ cup cornstarch

½ cup brown rice flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

1 rounded teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients to blend.

Cut in:

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup Spectrum shortening

Mix liquid ingredients together and add to flour / shortening mixture.

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

4 tablespoons ice water

A bit more water may be needed to form a ball.  Might require kneading.

Divide dough and roll out half on waxed paper.  Invert dough with waxed paper over pie pan and peel away the waxed paper, pressing dough to fit pie pan.

This recipe makes two pie shells or a top and bottom crust for a single 9” pie.