A Grandson Shares a Prize Lemon Pie Recipe

DEAR SOS: I noted a recent request in this column for a recipe for Bullock’s Lemon Meringue Pie. My grandmother, Hazel Wilson, was head baker at Bullock’s in Pasadena through 1956. She used to bring pies home to me when I was going through Pasadena City College. Here is the recipe she used at Bullock’s.

--JOHN

DEAR JOHN: How good of you to share this prize recipe, which apparently has been modified over the years. If you don’t have a double boiler, which is called for in the recipe, cook the filling over direct, very low heat, to avoid scorching the filling.

BULLOCK’S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

1/4 cup flour

5 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/4 cups boiling water

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Grated zest of 1 1/2 lemons

1 teaspoon butter

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

Meringue

Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar and boiling water. Cook in top of double boiler over simmering water or over direct low heat about 15 minutes or until thickened and clear, stirring constantly.

Add lightly beaten egg yolks and cook 2 minutes longer. Add lemon juice, zest and butter. Cool slightly, then turn into baked pie shell.

Spoon Meringue over pie, completely covering filling. Place pie in oven at 400 degrees to brown slightly, about 10 minutes or until tinged with brown. Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

Meringue

3 egg whites

6 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Beat egg whites until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar and cream of tartar until egg whites are stiff.