LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Cut two pieces of parchment paper to fit perfectly into two standard-size rimmed baking sheets. On each parchment piece, trace twenty four 1½-inch circles; set aside. Fit a piping bag with an open star piping tip and set aside.
• In a completely clean and dry stand mixer, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and sea salt. Beat on power setting 2 and slowly stream in 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Allow to beat for two minutes before increasing the speed to setting 4 and slowly adding another 3 tablespoons of sugar; allow to beat for another full two minutes. Slowly add another 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat at setting 6 for two minutes. Add final 3 tablespoons of sugar and beat at setting 8 for final two minutes.
• Add lemon extract and vanilla bean paste and yellow food coloring and beat on high for 30 seconds until well incorporated. Transfer meringue to piping bag.
• Set parchment paper inside each baking sheet and use piping bag to fill the circles with meringue. Pipe by squeezing the bag with the nozzle in the center of the circle and at a 90° angle, allowing the meringue to fill out the circle from the center. As you pipe, slowly pull the bag up as the circle fills to create a little dome of meringue; stop squeezing and pull the nozzle up to finish the meringue with a vertical peak. Repeat with remaining circles and meringue.
• Place baking sheets in preheated oven and bake for 1 hour without opening the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the oven door closed, allowing the meringues to cool in the oven for a final two hours. Gently lift the meringues off of the parchment paper and dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.