I love a citrus curd. Probably because I love citrus. It really is one of my favorite things for a dessert.
And a curd is pretty simple to make. The hardest part is keeping it lump free. A trick I have learned is that if you are having trouble with lumps, strain the mixture before it starts to boil. Once it boils, it will be too thick to strain. Then you will be stuck trying to fish the lumps out. Which is no fun!
The lemon juice and rind give just enough of the citrus kick to the curd. The pineapple gives it the sweetness. And of course, pineapple has its own citrus goodness.
The egg yolks give the curd the lovely yellow color. Make sure you temper them well though. You don’t want scrambled eggs in your pie!
The meringue has a beautiful velvet appearance. I browned it very lightly.
The pie was a great hit for Pie Day!
PINEAPPLE MERINGUE PIE
1 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/2 Cup Water
1 Cup Pineapple Juice
3 Egg Yolks, Slightly Beaten
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind
1 1/4 Cups Well Drained Crushed Pineapple
1 Baked 9 Inch Pie Shell
MERINGUE
2 Egg Whites
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla or Almond Extract
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water and pineapple juice. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 1 minutes. Add a little of the hot mixture with the egg yolks, stirring vigorously. Repeat several times until the eggs are tempered. Combine all the eggs with the hot mixture and boil for 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, continue stirring until smooth. Blend in butter, pineapple, lemon juice and lemon rind. Pour into pie shell. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and glossy. Pile meringue on top of the pie filling. Swirl the meringue into an aesthetic design. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the top of the meringue is browned to the desired look, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Komen