Kiki's stomping into the summer like whoa... WEEKEND Party

[ShrekDawg]

Lemon meringue pie? Love it. I have made it a couple of times before, from scratch.
I have the recipe for the entire pie here somewhere -- the meringue I just tossed together, seeing as it's a easy thing to do, the curd is my own brainchild, and the pie dough is from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook.
The curd is quite tart -- especially compared to the sugar-pumped store-bought -- but I could eat it on its own.
Here's the recipe that I use:

Dough (from the Fanny Farmer Cookbook):
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup water

Lemon Curd:
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Meringue:
7 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Make the pie dough and roll into a round about... I can't remember, call it maybe 1/16th or 1/12th of an inch*? Line an 8-inch pie pan with it -- there should be more than enough to leave at least 1/2 of an inch hanging over the edge all around. Trim off the excess, leaving about 1/2-inch hanging over the edge of the pan al around. Crimp that 1/2-inch all around so that it stands upright. Prick the dough well with a fork all over the bottom, line the dough with parchment or waxed paper**, fill with pie weights, and bake in a 425-degree Fahrenheit oven for some 30 minutes, or until it is a nice light brown color and is firm like a normal pie crust. The crimped edges might need a covering of tinfoil to keep them from getting too dark.
To make the lemon curd, put the egg yolks in a small saucepan -- I use a heavy-bottomed one, but if you only have a lightweight one, then keep the heat very low -- and break them up. Add the lemon juice and the sugar, and turn the heat on to medium or low. Stir constantly and gently -- remember to scrape up against the sides and the "corners" -- until it starts to thicken. Add the vanilla and zest, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook until it coats the back of a spoon thickly enough that you can draw a clear line through it with your finger. Take off of the hear and add the margarine/butter, stirring until it is melted and fully incorporated.
To make the meringue, simply whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Add the vanilla and zest, and gradually add the sugar, and continue whipping until the meringue holds firm peaks.
Once the pie shell is out of the oven, spread the lemon curd -- all of it, do not waste even a single quarter teaspoon, this stuff is good! -- evenly over the bottom. Spread or pipe a layer of the meringue over the curd, sealing it in completely -- the meringue should not have any gaps in it, and should be touching the crust all around. No gaps anywhere!
You will definitely have some meringue left over, by the way. Do what you will with it. It's been a while, so I can't remember exactly how much is left, but don't put it all on the pie -- that will result in too much meringue and not enough lemon curd!
Bake at... I can't remember, exactly, but I'm going to guess perhaps somewhere between 350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit, until the meringue is nicely browned.
Remove from the oven, and let cool for a while before refrigerating for a few hours.
Or, heck, you can even eat it warm from the oven. Lemon meringue pie is delicious whenever, though I do prefer it cold.
Cut and serve!
*I don't measure the thickness of the pie dough... I probably should, but I really just go with my gut. When it's big enough to properly line the pan, then it's good.
**About waxed paper: Some people don't like using it, as the was melts and can end up on baked goods, but I don't mind it at all. I have parchment paper for when I really don't want anything to stick, like macarons, but I mostly use waxed paper. It might smell like candles when you're baking with it, though.
Oh, hey... I have four lemons in the fridge! After I make Goofy Cake tomorrow, I am making lemon meringue pie, y'all! I'll definitely take pictures, too!
Done. Sorry about the lengthy post.

This is perfect!!! Thank you!!

It doesn’t sound as hard as I thought it would be either!! Which is good haha a tad long and complicated process maybe but nothing too extremely difficult except maybe the peaks? I’m sure I’ll probably still mess something up though but I think I have a new project.

Though maybe not this week. got a ton to do before Thursday haha

And that too much meringue not enough curd problem is the exact problem I have with the store ones! Haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

I haven't watched Monty Python, no. I have heard that it can be quite dirty at times, though, so I'm not too interested, at least not at the moment.
I do know a couple of lines, though, such as your "larch" reference.

Some of their stuff is really good and not too bad! Haha I like the dead parrot skit, the ministry of silly walks, and the Holy Grail movie lol and there’s also the argument one which, while not dirty or anything, I find a little annoying lol

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

This is perfect!!! Thank you!!

It doesn’t sound as hard as I thought it would be either!! Which is good haha a tad long and complicated process maybe but nothing too extremely difficult except maybe the peaks? I’m sure I’ll probably still mess something up though but I think I have a new project.

Though maybe not this week. got a ton to do before Thursday haha

And that too much meringue not enough curd problem is the exact problem I have with the store ones! Haha

The peaks are purely for show. You can just spread a layer of meringue over the curd, really. The important part is to make sure that there are no gaps -- if there are gaps, then the meringue with kind of shrivel and shrink.
At least, I'm pretty sure that that's what happens. It makes sense, certainly.
Oh, and it's raining here! Yay! There's even some thunder.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The peaks are purely for show. You can just spread a layer of meringue over the curd, really. The important part is to make sure that there are no gaps -- if there are gaps, then the meringue with kind of shrivel and shrink.
At least, I'm pretty sure that that's what happens. It makes sense, certainly.
Oh, and it's raining here! Yay! There's even some thunder.

That’s great to know!! Thank you!!

And that’s awesome!! We had thunder earlier haha must have gone north

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I remember that I made a chocolate pecan pie for Christmas a couple years ago....
Pies really are fun to make. Some people think that they're really hard to do, but like everything else, they become easier with practice. The biggest problem that I have with pies is how long they can take to make....
I need to make more pies.
Oh, and extra pie dough has a lot of uses. You can make mini pies or tiny pastries with it, but what I usually do with the scraps is I simply roll them out really thin, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar all over it, and then roll them back up and bake them. My mom said that someone at one of her previous jobs did that -- they called them "Diddies," I think.

 

[R2elk]

Oh, and extra pie dough has a lot of uses. You can make mini pies or tiny pastries with it, but what I usually do with the scraps is I simply roll them out really thin, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar all over it, and then roll them back up and bake them.

You forgot to butter the dough before adding the cinnamon sugar or brown sugar.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

You forgot to butter the dough before adding the cinnamon sugar or brown sugar.

I don't do that, actually... it sounds delicious, though! Thanks for the tip -- I'll try to remember that next time.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I remember that I made a chocolate pecan pie for Christmas a couple years ago....
Pies really are fun to make. Some people think that they're really hard to do, but like everything else, they become easier with practice. The biggest problem that I have with pies is how long they can take to make....
I need to make more pies.
Oh, and extra pie dough has a lot of uses. You can make mini pies or tiny pastries with it, but what I usually do with the scraps is I simply roll them out really thin, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar all over it, and then roll them back up and bake them. My mom said that someone at one of her previous jobs did that -- they called them "Diddies," I think.

Yes, pies are so labor intensive and time consuming but they’re soooo worth it!!! Hahah I don’t think I’ve ever made crust from scratch though. I usually at least buy the rollout dough packs even if I make the rest from scratch. although I feel like I maybe made it once for an apple pie a long time ago??? I can’t really remember though. But I suck at crusts, bought or not. Can never get them to look good no matter what lol the whole crimping thing I suck at I love those cinnamon dough things though! Think I’ve made those before haha

 

[R2elk]

I don't do that, actually... it sounds delicious, though! Thanks for the tip -- I'll try to remember that next time.

If I have an apple available, I use the extra dough to make an apple dumpling. If not, I roll the dough out into a rectangle, butter the top side, sprinkle heavily with sucralose and cinnamon. Roll the dough up tightly and form into a coil in a pie pan. I start this after the pie is in the oven. When prepared, I add it to the oven and take it back out when the pie is done.

 

[R2elk]

Yes, pies are so labor intensive and time consuming but they’re soooo worth it!!! Hahah I don’t think I’ve ever made crust from scratch though. I usually at least buy the rollout dough packs even if I make the rest from scratch. although I feel like I maybe made it once for an apple pie a long time ago??? I can’t really remember though. But I suck at crusts, bought or not. Can never get them to look good no matter what lol the whole crimping thing I suck at I love those cinnamon dough things though! Think I’ve made those before haha

It takes practice to make good pie dough. Most recipes call for a specific amount of water or liquid to add but the actual amount to add depends on the flour and the local conditions. Placing the mixed dough in a plastic bag and letting it rest in the refrigerator really helps. If you have a problem with the crust cracking when you are rolling it out, put it in a big plastic bag and roll it out in the bag or put a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, lightly flour it, add the dough and another sprinkle of flour on top. Then cover it with another piece of plastic wrap before rolling it out.