Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Difficulty:

1/5

Ease of Preparation: Medium
Yield: 1 9-inch Pie
Serving size: 8

Ingredients:

Prepared pie crust
1 cup (240 ml) sugar, divided
4 cups (950 ml) rhubarb flesh, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections
1 cup (240 ml) water
2 lemons, juice
1 orange, juice
4 tablespoons (60 ml) cornstarch, divided
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
15 drops of liquid red food coloring
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) cream of tartar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C).

Fit pie dough into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges. For best results chill the pie dough for 30 minutes.

Perforate the crust evenly with a fork and par-bake until golden, about 10-12 minutes.

In a pot, use a spoon to combine ¾ cup (80 ml) cup sugar, rhubarb flesh, water, lemon juice, orange juice, and salt.

Place over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking occasionally for 20 minutes, until the rhubarb has softened completely.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pot over medium-low heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until uniform, then gradually whisk in about half of the warm rhubarb mixture. Take your time and add in small increments to avoid cooking the yolks.

Now whisk the yolk-rhubarb mixture into the warm mixture in the pot. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick, about 1 minute.

Make a slurry by mixing 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of cornstarch with equal parts water, dissolving the starch.

Whisk the slurry into the rhubarb mixture, continue to stir and let cook for 1 minute, until the mixture becomes slightly thickened and glossy.

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, then strain through a fine sieve into the par-baked pie shell.

Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the curd to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, at least 2-3 hours up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).

Start the meringue by heating egg whites, remaining sugar, remaining cornstarch, and cream of tartar in a double boiler. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and mixture is heated to exactly 160 F (70 C), about 2 minutes.

Immediately transfer the warm mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk and beat on high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.

Dollop meringue onto pie. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative swirls and peaks.

Bake for 20 minutes until the meringue has set and the tips of the meringue are just starting to become golden brown.

Cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.