Lemon Curd Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue

Lemon Curd Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue

Ingredients

Tart Shell :

• 11⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1⁄4 cup ice water
• 1⁄ 8 teaspoon cider vinegar

Lemon Curd :

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated or superfine sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2⁄ 3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄ 2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

Brown Sugar Meringue :

• 4 egg whites
• 1⁄ 8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

Cooking Instructions: 

Tart dough:

1.  Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
2. Add the butter. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter. 
3. Mix the ice water and vinegar together. 
4. Gradually stir in enough of the water to the flour mixture for the dough to clump together. Do not
5. overmix. 
6. Shape into a thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
7. Place the chilled dough on a work surface and whack it a few times with a rolling pin to make the dough more malleable. 
8. Unwrap the dough and place on a lightly floured work surface. 
9. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into a round about 11 inches wide and 1⁄ 8 inch
10. thick. 
11. Fold in half and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
12. Unfold the dough, letting the excess dough hang over the edges.
13. Press the dough firmly into the corners of the pan. Fold over the excess dough so the fold is flush with the top of the pan. 
14. Press the sides of the dough against the pan so it rises about 1⁄ 8 inch above the top of the pan
15. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
16. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights (or raw rice or beans), being sure the weights are pressed up against the sides of the pan. 
17. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the visible top of the crust looks set. Lift off the paper and weights. Continue baking the crust until it is golden brown, about 10 minutes more.
18. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Lemon curd:  

1. Combine the eggs and sugar in the top part of a double boiler. 
2. Beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the lemon zest and juice. 
3. Bring a small quantity of water to a simmer in the base section of the double boiler. Place the top of the double boiler over its base, being sure that the bottom of the insert does not touch the water. 
4. Beat with the mixer until the curd is thick and smooth, about 8 minutes.
5. Remove the insert from the base of the double boiler. Beat in the butter, one piece at a time, until it is fully incorporated. 
6. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl. 
7. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd and poke a few holes in the wrap to allow steam to escape. Let cool until tepid. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

 The meringue:

1.  Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a  standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. Combine the brown sugar and 1⁄2 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 
4. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and cook without stirring, brushing down any crystals that form on the inside of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until the syrup reaches 240°F. 
5. At this point, start whisking the egg whites at low speed. When the sugar reaches 245°F (soft-ball
6. stage), turn off the heat and remove the thermometer from the sugar. 
7. Increase the mixer speed to high. When soft peaks form, with the mixer still running, pour the syrup into the egg whites in a thin stream, taking care to avoid the whisk. 
8. When steam starts to come off the whites, add the sugar more quickly. When all sugar has been added, continue whipping the whites until they are stiff and glossy. The meringue should still be warm.

Assemble the tart: 

1.  Spread the chilled lemon curd in the cooled tart shell, smoothing the top. 
2. Quickly spread the warm meringue on top of the filling, shaping it with a rubber spatula to form a high, smooth dome, being sure that the meringue touches the crust. 
3. Take care not to let the meringue touch the pan, or it may be difficult to remove the tart. 
4. With the back of a soup spoon, make decorative waves, working quickly because as the meringue cools it will become stiff and difficult to shape.
5. Position the broiler rack about 8 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. 
6. Place the pie on the rack and broil, turning the pie every 15 seconds or so, until the meringue is evenly browned. Remove the sides of the pan. 
7. Cut with a sharp knife dipped into hot water between slices.
8. The pie is best served the day it is made.