Lemon Merigue Pie

I used to have this every year on my Birthday!

Ingredients

1 store-bought pie crust. If using this method, simply place the crust into a proper sized pie plate and bake as instructed below.

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Prepare the Pie Base

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F

Press a pie crust evenly into a pie plate.

This will serve as the base for your pie and should be evenly distributed along the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

Make the Lemon Filling

In a separate bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and grated lemon

 until well combined.

Pour this lemon mixture into the prepared pie crust, smoothing it out so that it’s evenly distributed.

Bake the Pie

Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.

Prepare the Meringue

Five minutes before the pie is done, start preparing the meringue.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together using an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture becomes foamy.

Gradually add sugar to the egg whites, continuing to beat until the meringue forms stiff peaks, about 5 minutes.

Add meringue and bake again

Remove the pie from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Spread the meringue over the warm pie, ensuring it reaches all the way to the edges to create a seal.

Use the back of a spoon to dab the meringue and pull up, forming decorative peaks.

Return the pie to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown.

Cool and Chill

Once the pie has finished baking, let it cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.

After cooling, store the pie in the refrigerator to set completely.

Serve chilled