Lemon Meringue Pie

Yield: One 8 inch tart
Time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 1/3 c. vanilla wafer crumbs*
• 6 tbs. melted butter
• 1 tsp. sugar

For the lemon filling:

• 1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 c. fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
• 8 egg yolks (keep 3 of the whites)
• 1 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. butter, chilled and cubed

For the meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 3/4 tsp vanilla (optional)

*I used gluten free vanilla wafers, Kinnikinnick brand.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
2. Grind up the vanilla wafers into coarse crumbs in a food processor.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the vanilla wafer crumbs, melted butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the bottom of a tart pan or pie plate, making sure to press the crumbs up the sides of the pan.
4. Bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes (keep an eye on the crust to make sure that the sides don't burn.) Cool completely before adding the filling.
5. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar until the mixture thickens and turns pale yellow. Make sure that you save three of the egg whites for the meringue.
6. In a medium sized sauce pan, mix together the egg/sugar mixture, the lemon juice, the rest of the sugar, and the salt. Set over a medium-low heat and stir constantly with a rubber spatula making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent the lemon filling from burning. Cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
7. Once the mixture has thickened, take it off the pan and whisk in the lemon zest and the cold cubed butter. Stir the filling for a few minutes (still off the heat) and then pour it through a fine meshed sieve. Spoon the filling directly into the crust and then place it in the fridge.
8. To make the meringue, place the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and vanilla in a heat proof bowl and whisk until just combined. Place the bowl over a small saucepan with two inches of water in the bottom and set over a medium heat (don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.) You can also do this step in a double boiler if you have one. Whisk continuously until the sugar dissolves in the egg whites. 
9. As soon as the sugar dissolves, take the bowl off the heat and pour the egg mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk the mixture for 5-7 minutes or until the meringue gets fluffy and stiff peaks form. The peaks should be stiff enough that you could hold the bowl upside down without the meringue falling out.
10. Pipe or scoop the meringue onto the lemon filling in the tart crust. I used a very large French tip and piped the meringue into dots over the face of the tart. If you have a kitchen torch you can use it to toast the top of the meringue, if you don't you can put the whole pie in the oven under a low broil. MAKE SURE TO WATCH THE PIE!!! I ignored mine for like *a second* and it got a little too toasty. 
11. Chill in the fridge and eat.