Heavenly Lemon Angel Pie

This recipe initially caught my eye because if doesn't have any flour in it. My sister is gluten intolerant, so we're always on the lookout for variations of favorites we can add back into her diet.

It quickly turned into a favorite for everyone who tried it. It one of the items I know will be requested no matter the occasion. It is quite simply one of the best things I ever tasted!

Fiddling with the meringue the first few times can be fun. As long as you have raised sides and some sort of indentation in the center, it will be fine. Besides, it tastes so good, no one really cares how it looks!

Heavenly Lemon Pie

Meringue crust:

4 egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar

Filling:

4 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
Grated lemon peel from 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons, yellow part only)
1 cup whipping cream

Optional garnishes:

Sweetened whipped cream, shreds of lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a shallow 9-inch glass, ceramic or metal pie pan with parchment paper. (Cut out a 12-inch circle and place in pan, pleating paper so it lies flat around the sides.)

To make meringue crust: Place egg whites in a clean bowl of a free-standing mixer fitted with a whisk (see note). Beat on medium-low speed until the whites are frothy, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high, add salt and vinegar, and slowly add the sugar (1 to 2 tablespoons at a time), beating until soft peaks form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes.

Spread meringue on top of parchment paper and use the back of a large spoon to make the edges higher on the sides.

Place on middle rack of oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave the meringue inside with the door shut until completely cool, about 4 hours. Peel away the parchment paper and return crust to pie pan before filling.

Make the filling: Beat egg yolks well, then combine with sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in the top of a double boiler. Mix well. Cook over simmering water until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Mixture is thick enough when it mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or in refrigerator.

Whip cream until stiff. Fold whipped cream into cooled filling. Place in cooled meringue crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Just before serving, garnish top with whipped cream and lemon peel shreds.

If you do not have a free-standing mixer, use a hand-held model and increase the times for beating. Push the beaters around the bowl, moving them up and through the whites to incorporate more air.

Notes: If you want your crust to be white rather than a pale beige, bake the meringue at 250 to 275 degrees for 1 hour. For a stronger lemon flavor, fold only half of the whipped cream into the filling and use the remainder for garnish. However, the lemon part of the filling makes only about 1 cup, so adding all the whipped cream to the filling makes it fill the crust more completely.

jlm