If you love Lemon Meringue Pie, but don’t love making one, this is the pie for you! My mother got this recipe from a dear friend. It’s her Yankee family’s recipe that has been passed on through generations. My mother makes the best Lemon Meringue pie, but sometimes she would make this pie, to switch things up a bit.

I have made this pie many, many times and it has not yet failed me. Sometimes it comes out a  little differently.  Can I blame global warming? It’s usually my impatience or blunder, but it always tastes great. It may not be the prettiest of pies, but it’s an easy pie and bursting with lemon flavor. You want pretty, toss on some fresh raspberries and some mint leaves. BAM. Pretty pie!

Let’s bake us some pie!

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

3 egg whites (stiffly beaten)

1 1/2 cups milk

2 lemons (juiced and rind grated)

1  9inch UNBAKED pie shell

Blend melted (and slightly cooled) butter with sugar and beat thoroughly. I use a hand mixer for this step. Add flour and blend well.

Add egg yolks, lemon juice, grated rind, and milk. I use 2 lemons, because not all lemons are the same. Some have more juice than others. I’d rather a little more, than a little less lemon juice.

Fold in beaten egg whites and pour into shell. Folding in the egg whites will test your patience. Try not to have lumps of egg white (see MY pie). Do your best, but make sure you use the folding action. You don’t want to deflate the egg whites.

I use a glass pie plate, but any will do. I also often buy my pie crusts or my name is Nora Pillsbury. If you can make a great pie crust, please do so. I cannot seem to get it right.

Baked in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Don’t walk away….wash the dishes or something. Reduct heat to 325 degrees and bake about 25 minutes longer. Since every oven is different, set the timer for 20 minutes and check. You can add minutes, but you cannot remove the taste of burnt pie from your tongue.

The pie is done when the top cracks open. If you get nervous around 20-25 minutes, or the crust is getting darker than you like,  pull it out of the oven. It is absolutely done.

Refrigerate for several hours before serving. You don’t want to eat this pie hot. I recommend making it in the morning or the night before if you are short on time.

If you want to get fancy, delicately place some raspberries on the serving plates. Lemon and raspberries are a wonder flavor team!