LEMON MERINGUE PIE - DARING BAKERS

It is the 4th consecutive month that I take part to the "Daring Bakers" challenge and I still have lots of fun while avidly baking the imposed recipes. Every time, it is a very stimulating and enrichening experience which enables us to push our limits further, makes us learn how to apprehend our fears, master certain techniques and improve our baking skills/knowledge...

I was particularly looking forwards to this month's challenge as I've always been a big fan of "Lemon Meringue Pie", so it is with a feverish mood that I plunged into the making of this speciality. Well, unfortunately, this very recipes didn't meet my expectations taste- and texture-wise and proved to be quite disappointing!

I would not go as far as to say that it was bad or anything like that, yet I must confess that it wasn't my favorite "Lemon Meringue Pie" so far. Some people will undoubtedly love it, but sadly it just didn't do it for me. It was plain good, not gorgeous nor subtle. Somehow, I found it a little sexless and sort of bland, although I used only the best ingredients (organic lemons, fresh free range Swiss eggs, quality butter, etc...) and followed the recipe to the letter...

The overall tart lacks that little something which makes it unique and unforgettable/memorable.After having finished my slice of pie, an annoying feeling of unsatisfaction lingered, casting a shadow of unfulfillment over me. I was still in the expectative... It was like "Yeah, fine and...?!?". I tried my best to be impartial, but this troubling sensation of emptiness persisted!

Of course, I did enjoy the pie, but in a very limited way. It is what I call "first degree pleasure". It stays on the surface, thus it never reaches your guts in order to give you that gratifying and orgasmic explosion of pleasure which stays imprinted in your soul forever. It was nice, that's all.

In my opinion, the lemon filling was too stiff and custard-like. It didn't have that curd onctuosity nor dimension which I cherish so much when it comes to "Lemon Meringue Pies". I also found that it wasn't tart and lemony enough. On the contrary, it was rather sweet and impersonally flavored. I missed that delicious tinge of acidity... The filling was also too cornstarchy and watery to my taste.

The crust was ok, but, then again, nothing really mindblowing. I didn't find it flaky enough and kind of insipidly/characterlessly pleasant. The meringue wasn't very succesful and decieved me very much. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that no mention was made regarding the exact size of the eggs, but it was not perfect. I mean, neither was it written anywhere that you had to use either big, medium or small eggs. I used big ones (53g) and I think that was the reason why the meringue looked a bit poor as there wasn't enough sugar considering the mass of egg whites used...

Anyway, I am not going to keep you away from making this pie nor am I going to recommend it to you. I believe that you'll have to taste it first in order to choose whether it is the ultimate "Lemon Meringue Pie" or whether you prefer the ones you baked in the past... It's entirely up to you to decide as, in the end, it is a question of personal taste!!!

Thank you Jen at "The Canadian Baker"!!!

~ Lemon Meringue Pie ~
Recipe taken from "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" by Wanda Beaver

Makes one 25cm (10-inch) pie.

Ingredients for the crust:
3/4 Cup (180g) cold butter, cut into 1.2cm (1/2-inch) pieces
2 Cups (255g) All-purpose flour
1/4 Cup (53g) Granulated sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/3 Cup (80ml) Ice water
Ingredients for the filling:
2 Cups (475ml) Water
1 Cup (210g) Granulated sugar
1/2 Cup (60g) Cornstarch
5 Egg yolks, beaten
1/4 Cup (60g) Butter
3/4 Cup (180ml) Fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs Lemon zest
1 Tsp Vanilla extract

Ingredients for the meringue:
5 Egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 Tsp Cream of tartar
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract
3/4 Cup (158g) Granulated sugar

Method for the crust:
1. Using a food processor or pastry cutter and a large bowl, combine the butter, flour, sugar and salt.
2. 2. Process or cut in until the mixture resembles coarse meal and begins to clump together.
3. Sprinkle with water, let rest 30 seconds and then either process very briefly or cut in with about 15 strokes of the pastry cutter, just until the dough begins to stick together and come away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and press together to form a disk.
4. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 20 minutes.
5. On a lightly floured board (or countertop) roll the disk to a thickness of 3cm (1/8 inch.
6. Cut a circle about 5cm (2 inches) larger than the pie plate and transfer the pastry into the plate by folding it in half or by rolling it onto the rolling pin.

7. Turn the pastry under, leaving an edge that hangs over the plate about 1.2cm (1/2 inch).
8. Flute decoratively.
9. Chill for 30 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 180º C (350° F).
11. Line the crust with foil and fill with metal pie weights or dried beans.
12. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
13. Carefully remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
14. Cool completely before filling.
Method for the filling:
15. Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan.
16. Remove from the heat and let rest 5 minutes.
17. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together.
18. Add the mixture gradually to the hot water, whisking until completely incorporated.
19. Return to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
20. Add about 1 cup of the hot mixture to the beaten egg yolks, whisking until smooth.
21. Whisking vigorously, add the warmed yolks to the pot and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil.
22. Remove from the heat and stir in butter until incorporated.
23. Add the lemon juice, zest and vanilla, stirring until combined.
24. Pour into the prepared crust.
25. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and cool to room temperature.

Method for the meringue:
26. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
27. Using an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar, salt and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
28. Add the sugar gradually, beating until it forms stiff, glossy peaks.
29. Pile onto the cooled pie, bringing the meringue all the way over to the edge of the crust to seal it completely.
30. Bake for 15, or until golden.
31. Cool on a rack.
32. Serve.

Remarks:
Make sure all the ingredients for the crust are as cold as possible.
Allow the dough to warm slightly to room temperature if it is too hard to roll.
In order to blind-bake the crust, you can use the following weights: dried beans, rice or metal chain/beads.
The water/sugar/cornstarch mixture will be very thick. It is normal.

Serving suggestions:
Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.
Eat with a dollop of whipped cream, as for dessert or for afternoon tea.

***************

~ Tarte Au Citron Meringuée ~
Recette tirée du livre "Wanda's Pie in the Sky" de Wanda Beaver

Pour une tarte de 25cm.

Ingrédients pour la pâte:
3/4 de Tasse (180g) de Beurre froid, coupé en cubes de 1.2cm
2 Tasses (255g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1/4 de Tasse (53g) de Sucre cristallisé
1/4 de CC de Sel
1/3 de Tasse (80ml) d'Eau à très basse température (très froide)
Ingrédients pour la garniture au citron:
2 Tasses (475ml) d'Eau
1 Tasse (210g) de Sucre cristallisé
1/2 Tasse (60g) de Maïzena
5 Jaunes d'oeufs, battus
1/4 de Tasse (60g) de Beurre
3/4 de Tasse (180ml) de Jus de citron frais
1 CS de Zeste de citron
1 CC d'Extrait de vanille

Ingrédients pour la meringue:
5 Blancs d'eufs, à température ambiante
1/2 CC de Crème de tartre
1/4 de CC de Sel
1/2 CC d'Extrait de vanille
3/4 de Tasse (158g) de Sucre cristallisé

Méthode pour la pâte:
1. Dans un bol et à l'aide d'un mixeur (ou d'un couteau à pâte), bien mélanger ensemble le beurre, la farine, le sucre et le sel.
2. Mixer (ou couper) le beurre jusqu'à ce que le mélange ressemble à du sable grossier et qu'il commence à s'assembler.
3. Ajouter l'eau (en répartissant bien), laisser reposer 30 secondes et mixer (mélanger au couteau en 15 mouvements) brièvement jusqu'à ce que la pâte commence à s'assembler et se détacher des bords.
3. Transférer sur une surface de travail légèrement farinée et amalgamer/presser afin d'obtenir un disque.

4. Emballer la pâte dans du film plastique et l'entreposer au frigo pendant 20 minutes.
5. Sur une surface légèrement farinée rouler le disque de pâte sur une épaisseur de 3cm.
6. Couper un cercle qui mesure 5cm de plus que le moule et transférer la pâte en la pliant en deux ou en l'enroulant autour du rouleau.
7. Laisser un rebords dépasser du moule d'environ 1.2cm.
8. Fluter les bords.
9. Entreposer au frigo pendant 30 minutes.
10. Préchauffer le four à 180º C.
11. Mettre du papier sulfurisé sur la pâte dans le moule et remplir avec des poids (voir remarques).
12. Cuire pendant 20 à 25 minutes.
13. Enlever le papier sulfurisé (délicatement) et cuire pendant 10 à 15 minutes supplémentaires, jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit dorée.
14. Laisser refroidir (complètement) sur une grille.

Méthode pour la garniture au citron:
15. Dans une casserole moyenne, porter l'eau à ébullition.
16. Retirer du feu et laisser reposer 5 minutes.
17. Mélanger le sucre avec la maïzena.
18. Verser graduellement ce mélange dans l'eau chaude, en fouettant bien jusqu'à ce qu'il soit complètement incorporé.
19. Remettre la casserole sur le feu et cuire, à feu moyen, jusqu'à ébullition et tout en fouettant continuellement.
20. Incorporer 1 tasse de ce mélange chaud aux jaunes d'oeufs battus et fouetter jusqu'à ce que ce ça soit mélangé de manière homogène.
21. Tout en fouettant vigoureusement, verser le mélange jaunes d'oeufs/maïzena dans celui qui se trouve dans la casserole, mélanger constamment et porter à nouveau à ébullition.

22. Retirer du feu et incorporer le beurre.
23. Ajouter le jus de citron, le zeste et la vanille. Bien mélanger afin d'obtenir un "curd" homogène.
24. Verser dans la pâte à tarte cuite.
25. Couvrir avec un film plastique afin qu'aucune peau ne se forme à la surface et laisser refroidir, à température ambiante.
Méthode pour la meringue:
26. Préchauffer le four à 190° C.
27. A l'aide d'un mixer, battre les blancs d'oeufs - additionnés de crème de tarte, de sel et de l'extrait de vanille - en neige ferme, jusqu'à ce que des pics se forment.

28. Ajouter graduellement le sucre, en continuant de battre, jusqu'à obtention de pics fermes/rigides et brillants.
29. Empiler cette masse sur la tarte refroidie, en recouvrant toute la garniture au citrons et cela jusqu'aux bords de la tarte.
afin de la sceller complètement.
30. Cuire pendant 15, ou jusqu'à ce que la meringue soit dorée.
31. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.
32. Servir.

Remarques:
Assurez-vous que tous les ingrédients pour la pâte soient aussi froids que possible.
Si la pâte est trop dure à la sortie du frigo et qu'elle ne peut pas être roulée aisément, alors laissez-la reposer quelques minutes à température ambiante.
Pour cuire à blanc la pâte, vous pouvez utiliser les poids suivants: haricots secs, riz ou poids en métal.
Le mélange eau/sucre/maïzena sera très épais, c'est tout à fait normal.

Serving suggestions:
Serve within 6 hours to avoid a soggy crust.
Manger comme dessert ou servir à l'heure du goûter avec de la crème fouettée.