Joy's Favorite Lemon Meringue Pie

By: Joy Schantz

Recipe History: I found this recipe by Arizona State Fair winner Emily Couch of Mesa in the newspaper a few years back, and have enjoyed baking and eating this tangy recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups cold water
4 eggs, separate yolks and whites
grated peel of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tblsp butter
1 pre-baked pie crust

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar with cornstarch.
• Stir in cold water until smooth.
• Stir in egg yolks.Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with wire whisk.
• Mixture will be fairly thick.
• Boil 1 more minute, stirring quickly.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice and butter.
• Prepare meringue by whipping 4 egg whites until frothy, add 1/4 cup sugar, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. 
• Set aside.
• Pour hot filling into pie crust.
• Immediately top with meringue, spreading and sealing at all edges of crust.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until peaks are browned.
• Cool completely.