Ann Lander's Best Lemon Meringue Pie (With Never-Fail Meringue)

Ingredients

• 1 baked and cooled 9 inch pie shell (my butter pie crust Kittencal's No-Fail Buttery Flaky Pie Pastry/Crust works great!)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (if you like an extreme lemon taste then add in a couple more tablespoons lemon juice)
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 4-5 drops yellow food coloring (optional but looks better!)
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoons butter

MERINGUE

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 3 egg whites
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. 1

   In a double boiler, or a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch together; add in the 2 cups COLD water.

2. 2

   In a small cup/bowl,combine the egg yolks with lemon juice, and the yellow food colouring; whisk until well mixed.

3. 3

   Add to the sugar cornstarch mixture; whisk until mixed.

4. 4

   Cook and mix/whisk until mixture thickens (about 6-7 minutes, do not over-boil mixture or it will not set properly), if you are making in a saucepan, be careful not to scorch the bottom of the pan, a double-boiler is definitely recommended for this.

5. 5

   Remove from heat.

6. 6

   Add/mix in the lemon extract, butter and vinegar; stir thoroughly.

7. 7

   Pour the lemon mixture into cooled pie shell; set aside to make meringue.

8. 8

   To make meringue:.

9. 9

   Blend/whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small saucepan.

10. 10

    Add in boiling water, and cook, stirring until clear and thickened.

11. 11

    Let mixture stand until COMPLETELY COLD.

12. 12

    With an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy.

13. 13

    Gradually add in sugar, and beat until stiff but not dry.

14. 14

    Turn mixer to low speed; add in pinch salt and vanilla.

15. 15

    Gradually beat in the cold cornstarch mixture.

16. 16

    Turn mixer again to high; beat well.

17. 17

    Spread/pile meringue over cooled pie filling, making certain to seal the meringue to the baked crust.

18. 18

    Set oven to 350°F, and bake for 10 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly browned.