Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie

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This dessert has it all – a pecan crust is filled with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with lemon curd, and then frozen. And the finishing touch? A golden brown crown of meringue.

Servings

8

Dessert
Baking
Comfort Food

Lemon Curd

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs large
  • 2 egg yolks large
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 stick
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest finely grated
  • salt pinch

Preparation

  1. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl.
  2. Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over large saucepan of simmering water.
  3. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt.
  4. Gradually whisk in egg mixture.
  5. Whisk until thick and thermometer inserted into curd registers 178 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, about 8 minutes.
  6. Transfer to small bowl.
  7. Press plastic wrap on top of curd; chill for 4 hours.
  8. Do Ahead: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Crust

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter 1/2 stick, melted

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Mix pecans, sugar, and butter in medium bowl until moistened.
  3. Press pecan mixture onto bottom and up sides of a 9-inch diameter glass pie dish (mixture will be crumbly).
  4. Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes (watch it doesn’t burn!).
  5. When removed, crust will have slipped down side of dish – use back of spoon to press crust back into place.
  6. Cool crust on rack.
  7. Freeze crust for 30 minutes.

Assembly

Ingredients

  • 3 cups vanilla ice cream slightly softened

Preparation

  1. Dollop 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream over frozen crust; spread into even layer.
  2. Spread lemon curd over ice cream; freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
  3. Dollop 1 1/2 cups softened ice cream over lemon curd, spread into even layer.
  4. Cover and freeze until firm – about 2 hours.

Meringue

Ingredients

  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • cream of tartar pinch
  • 6 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

  1. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy.
  2. Beat in cream of tartar.
  3. With mixer running, gradually add sugar.
  4. Beat until stiff peaks form.
  5. Spoon meringue over pie, spreading to seal at edges and swirling decoratively.
  6. Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Freeze pie.

Baking

Preparation

  1. Place pie in a preheated 500 degrees Fahrenheit oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching to prevent burning, about 5 minutes.
  2. Cut pie into wedges; serve immediately.