Healthy Recipes: Mini Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon flavored custards, puddings and pies have been enjoyed since Medieval times, but meringue was perfected in the 17th century. Lemon meringue pie, as it is known today, is a 19th-century product. The earliest recorded recipe was attributed to Alexander Frehse, a Swiss baker from the canton of Romandie. Try our recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

Lemon filling and Meringue:

2 cups                         All-purpose flour
2/3 cup                       Butter, melted
¾ cup                         Lemon juice, fresh
1 teaspoon                Lemon zest
1/2 cup                       Sugar
1 ¼ cup                      Water
5 tablespoon             Cornstarch
3 each                        Egg yolks
1 tablespoon             Sugar
1 each                        Egg white

Pie Dough:

2 cups             All-purpose flour
¼ cup             Sugar
1/8 tsp.           Salt
¼ tsp.              Baking powder
¼ cup             Chilled butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup             Fat free cream cheese
1 T.                  Cider vinegar
4 to 5 T.          Ice water

PREPARATION:

• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt.

• Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil.

•  Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot lemon and sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture.

• Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

• For the pie dough;Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor, pulse 3 times or until combined.

• Add butter, cream cheese, and cider vinegar, pulse 3-4 times.

• Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulsing until dough is combined.  **Mixture may appear crumbly but will stick together when pressed in palm of hand.**

• Place half of dough into 1-cup measuring cup, pressing to compact the dough.

• Remove the dough from cup and form a ball.

• Divide ball into 6 equal portions.*This dough recipe makes 6 pie crusts, only use one dough ball or 1/6^th of the recipe for the lemon pies.*

• Repeat with rest of dough.

• Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

• Roll each dough portion into 5 inch circles.  **It helps to roll in between plastic wrap**

• For the meringue; In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

• Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.

• Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

 
NUTRITION:

Number of servings:                     18
Serving size:                                    2 oz. 1/18^th of pie crust
Calories:                                           200
Fat grams:                                        10