Lemon Hibiscus Merengue Pie
White Hibiscus
Even though it’s still cloudy and rainy here in Seattle, I’m dreaming about sunshine, warm breezes, and juicy flavors. I’ve noticed for a long time that almost all of my favorite herbal tea blends include hibiscus (along with rose hips) as the second or third ingredient. Lemon Zinger often pairs lemon with hibiscus. So then what lemon-based desserts would readily work with the tart, tangy, and fruity notes of hibiscus? I decided on lemon meringue pie.
I searched a bit for a new lemon meringue recipe on which to base my variant, but after reading through the comments decided to go with an old favorite. I first made lemon meringue pie when I was in junior high school, using the recipe off of the side of a box of Argo cornstarch. It didn’t fail me as a preteen, and didn’t fail me almost 20 years later.
Hibiscus Meringue filling and topping:
- one pre-baked pie crust
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dried hibiscus blossoms
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Boil some water in a tea kettle, and while that’s coming to a boil measure 1/4 cup hibiscus blossoms. Grate lemon peel and squeeze juice from 1 lemon, and put into separate 1/3 measuring cup. After water boils, pour over the hibiscus blossoms. Let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain hibiscus concentrate into lemon juice until 1/3 cup is level.
Combine 1 cup sugar and corn starch in a saucepan, and stir in the water until smooth. Stir in lightly beaten egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, and boil 1 minute. The liquid will look more like a pudding now. Remove from heat. Stir in hibiscus, lemon peel, lemon juice, and butter mixture. Spoon filling into pie crust.
Beat egg whites in small bowl with mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in remaining 1/3 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue evenly over filling, sealing to edge of crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack at room temperature for 30 minutes; refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
If I find a bit of extra time I’ll try one of the following for fun:
Hibiscus Macarons
Champagne garnished with hibiscus flowers
Hibiscus Petal Drink (featuring Thai Basil)
