Busters Recipes

Microwave Lemon Meringue Pie

6 to 8 servings
The microwave oven excels at producing melt-in-the-mouth meringues, snowy white and oh, so tender! From crust to topping, this luscious lemon beauty is a real energy saver, too, both fuel and human!

2 cups sugar, divided
1/3 cup cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups cold water
½ cup lemon juice
5 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons butter
1 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon peel
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 9-inch pie shell, baked*

In 2-quart microwaveable bowl combine 1 ½ cups sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add water, ½ cup lemon juice and egg yolks. Stir until smooth. Add butter. Cool on Full power until mixture thickens and boils, 7 ½ to 8 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Stir in lemon peel. Let stand, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In large mixing bowl beat until foamy. Add remaining ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks. Beat in 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Pour lemon filling into baked pie shell. Spread meringue over filling, starting with small amounts at edges and sealing to crust all around. Cover pie with remaining meringue, spreading evenly in attractive swirls. Cook on Full power 3 to 3 ½ minutes, rotating ¼ turn every minute. Meringue is done when point of a knife inserted horizontally into the side comes out clean.

To bake pie shell: Roll pastry dough into 1/8 inch thick circle about 10 inches in diameter. Fit loosely into 9-inch microwaveable pie plate. Trim edge and flute as desired. Prick bottom and sides with fork. Cook on Full power 4 to 4 ½ minutes, rotating ¼ turn after 1 minute and 3 minutes.

You may use a 9-inch deep-dish frozen pie shell. To transfer it from its foil pan, run a knife between crust and pan to loosen the frozen crust. Place frozen shell in microwavable pie plate and cook on Full power for 1 minute. Gently press crust to fit plate, recrimping the edge if necessary. Cook as directed above.