Lemon Icebox Pie
This is the best recipe I have found! It is my stepmother's and is best served cold!
This is the best recipe I have found! It is my stepmother's and is best served cold!
- Carbohydrate 94.3011939102564 g
- Cholesterol 115.946175 mg
- Fat 16.9147326923077 g
- Fiber 0.992374990927056 g
- Protein 8.86680769230769 g
- Saturated Fat 5.27958262820513 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (182g)
- Sodium 261.116375 mg
- Sugar 93.3088189193293 g
- Trans Fat 1.77103756410256 g
- Calories 560 calories
Step-by-step
- Blend together condensed Milk, lemon juice and yolks until thickened.
- Pour mixture into pie shell divided between the 2 shells.
- For the Meringue: Take the 4 egg whites at room temperature and whip with tartar until they hold a soft peak.
- Gradually whip in sugar and continue until whites hold firm peaks.
- Pile onto pie filling and seal pie to edge of shell.
- Bake in 325 oven until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Cool.
- Keep in refriderator.
The Meringue Seal
Meringue failure on citrus pies is almost always caused by improper sealing rather than weak whipping. Egg whites must be whipped at room temperature with cream of tartar until they hold firm peaks, and spreading that foam requires anchoring the edges directly against the crust. If the meringue does not touch the inner rim of the graham shell completely, moisture vapor escapes during the fifteen-minute bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, causing the topping to shrink back and weep syrup across the curd. While scaling this recipe up for multiple pies is straightforward for the filling, multiplying egg white volumes requires careful attention to bowl cleanliness and sugar incorporation rates to maintain structural integrity.
Acid and Dairy Interaction
Sweetened condensed milk thickens rapidly when exposed to high concentrations of citric acid without requiring gelatin or heat. Blending the canned milk with lemon juice and egg yolks denatures the milk proteins instantly, creating a dense, sliceable curd before it ever touches the oven. Letting this mixture sit for a few minutes before pouring it into the two prepared shells ensures the chemical thickening reaction stabilizes fully. Thorough refrigeration afterwards firms the fats and starches further, yielding clean slices.
