Lemon Meringue Pie Bites

 

Ingredients

• Homemade All Butter Pie Crust or 2 pre-made, ready to roll pie crusts
• 4 egg yolks + 1 egg for egg wash
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons butter

Meringue

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar

Instructions

Filling:

• Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar and salt.
• Stir constantly over medium low heat until mixture comes to a boil.
• Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and reduce the heat to low.
• Pour half of this mixture into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly.
• Now, pour the “hot” egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly.
• Return to the stove and cook for an additional 3 minutes stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Finally whisk in butter one tbsp at a time.
• Stir occasionally until cool. (Setting in the bowl and placing in a larger bowl of ice will speed this up.).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour (or use nonstick cooking spray) a mini-muffin pan. Set aside.
• Roll the dough or pie crust out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin.
• Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter (approximately 3 inches diamater) cut at least 24 rounds out ( or 12 rounds of each pie crust, if using store bought)
• Carefully press each round into the mini-muffin pan.
• Use your fingers to round the ends into a pie crust.
• Brush egg wash from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden around the edges.
• Remove from oven and let the crust cool.
• Once cooled, use the tip of a knife to loosen the crusts from the mini muffin cups, but keep them in the pan.
• Spoon the lemon filling into each baked and cooled mini pie crust almost up to the top.

Meringue:

• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Add the cream of tarter and salt and gradually beat in sugar until glossy, about another 10 minutes.
• Fill a pastry bag with the meringue and top filled mini pies.
• When ready to serve, preheat the broiler to high.
• Place mini-muffin pan under the broiler until the meringue is evenly toasted, about 2 minutes, or brown the merinque with a kitchen blow torch.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.