CLOUDS and SUNSHINE PIE

The herbs in the garden are springing forth anew and a fat juicy Meyer Lemon ripened on my little tree and that nailed it. It was time to make CLOUDS and SUNSHINE pie. This is not your grandmother's Lemon meringue pie. It is made with an infusion of lavender, bergamot, and lemon balm and features not only lemons but a lime and a grapefruit as well.

 CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE PIE

 

Ingredients:

 

Pie Filling

 

2 cups herbed water

(see instructions)

 

1 cup white sugar

4 TBS all purpose flour

4 TBS cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

 

6 egg yolks beaten  

 

Zest from 1 lemon, 1 grapefruit and 1 lime

Juice from  same lemon,  grapefruit and lime

3 TBS butter

 

Meringue

 

6 egg whites

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp vanilla

¾ cup sugar

 

1.  Make herbed water.   Gather 3 six-inch sprigs of lemon balm, 3 of lavender and

3 of bergamot (bee balm).  Rinse and pat dry.  Bring 2 ¼ cups water to boil.  Turn off heat and add the herbs.  Cover and allow to steep for at least 4 hours or overnight.   Strain liquid and reserve liquid.  Discard herbs.

 

2. Prepare and roll out  single crust pastry for 9” pie.  Bake in 450 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes or till golden.  Cool on rack.

 

3.  For filling.  Separate egg yolks from whites; reserve whites for meringue.  In medium bowl wisk together egg yolks. 

 

4. In medium saucepan combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt.  Gradullay stir in the herbed water and mix well.

 

5.  Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat.  Cook and stir 2 minutes more and remove from heat.  

 

6.  Add about ½ cup of the hot filling to the egg yolks and whisk to mix.  Immediately return to saucepan and mix into the rest of the filling and cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat. 

 

7.  Add the butter, zest and juice to the hot mixture in the saucepan, stirring thoroughly to combine.

 

8.  Turn the hot filling into the baked pastry shell.  Place in a 350degree F oven for 10 minutes to evenly warm the pie.

 

9.  Meanwhile, whisk sugar and cream of tartar into the egg whites in a metal bowl. Place over simmering water and gently warm the mixture unitl sugar  is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch.  Add vanilla and beat hard for 4 minutes until mixture is thick and satiny smooth.

 

10.  Remove pie from oven and immediately spread the meringue from the edges to the center of the pie.  Bake in the 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until meringue is golden.  Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving.