Prepare the
crust:
Combine the lemon snaps and the sugar in the bowl of a food
processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until you have
fine crumbs; then pour in the melted butter and pulse until
thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and
up the sides of a 1-inch-deep pie dish. Bake until brown,
8 to 10 minutes. Cool.
Filling
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups lemon-lime soda
cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Make the filling:
First, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt with
the lemon-lime soda in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan;
whisk together until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly, until the mixture begins to boil; then immediately
turn the heat to low and add in the lemon juice, lime juice,
lemon zest and lime zest. Continue cooking until bubbles begin
to break over the entire surface, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Meanwhile, sprinkle
the gelatin over the water and let stand for 4 to 5 minutes,
then stir to dissolve.
Second, lightly whisk
the egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl; add about 1/2 cup of
the hot lemon filling to the egg yolks to temper them, whisk
in the dissolved gelatin until smooth and then slowly blend
the yolks back into the lemon mixture. Stir over low heat
for about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat to cool; after
3 to 4 minutes stir in the butter a tablespoon at a time.
Cool uncovered for 5 minutes. Third, pour the hot filling
into the baked pie shell. To keep a skin from forming, cover
the top with a piece of waxed paper that has been brushed
with a little melted butter. Cool the pie to room temperature
and then refrigerate until just a couple of hours before you
plan to serve until then to top the pie with the meringue.
Meringue
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
8 tablespoons superfine sugar
Prepare the
meringue:
Beat the egg whites until foamy in the bowl of a
mixer fitted with a clean dry whisk. Add in the cream of tartar
and 4 tablespoons of the superfine sugar and beat until stiff
peaks form. Gently fold in the remaining 4 tablespoons of
superfine sugar.
Assemble the
pie:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the waxed
paper from the surface of the lemon-lime filling. Use a pastry
bag to pipe rosettes of meringue over the surface of the pie,
or spoon the meringue over the pie and create peaks using
a spatula or pastry knife. Be sure to spread the meringue
so that it seals the entire edge of the crust to keep the
meringue from shrinking as it bakes. Bake until golden and
set, about 12 minutes. Cool the meringue by placing the pie
on an open rack in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep
the pie refrigerated until 10 to 15 minutes before serving,
at which point you can let it rest at room temperature.
