Saturdays Are Made For Baking

Saturday's are usually set aside for sleeping in late or chilling by the pool. Saturday's, to me, are meant to bake. You heard me right, bake. And that is what I did.

I found myself home alone this weekend. I'm at my mom and dads house while they are off enjoying life. I'm by myself...alone....with the dogs and cats. There are only so many movies I could watch and it seemed like there was nothing on TV....nothing, zip, zelch, nadda. So, I took it upon myself to go to the grocery store and by the ingredients to make a pie. Not just any pie...a home made Lemon Meringue Pie. I've never made one before. And I have to say it was a little intimidating.

So, I found a recipe on Foodnetwork.com , one of Alton Brown's recipes. I have to say, it was pretty easy to follow and didn't really take that many ingredients:

Ingredients
receipe adapted from Food Network, Alton Brown

Lemon Filling:

• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows
• Directions

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.

Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixed fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.

It was so easy to follow, and smelled so good...and I don't even like Lemon Meringue Pie. I made it for my dad. His birthday is on Sunday and his favorite dessert is a Lemon Meringue Pie. I know he will be bias and tell me it's great, because that's what dads are for.

Can't wait for next Saturday's baking adventure!!