Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir together sugar and cornstarch in medium size saucepan until well blended. Gradually stir in lemon zest and juice until smooth. Mix in water and butter, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and then boils for 1 minute. Beat egg yolks slightly in small bowl. Whisk in about half of lemon juice mixture. Stir yolk mixture into lemon juice mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly 1-2 minutes until mixture thickens slightly. Pour into the pie shell. Prepare merigue--Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl. Beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Then gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over hot filling so it touches piecrust all around the edge. Bake in 325 degree oven until meringue is browned and temperature in center of merigue registers 140 degrees, 25-30 minutes. Remove to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.