Ingredients
Crust
| 1 1/4 cups | (310 ml) | graham cracker crumbs (about 18 crackers whizzed in your blender or food processor) |
| 1/3 cup | (75 ml) | melted butter |
| 1/3 cup | (75 ml) | sugar |
| 1/2 tsp | (2 ml) | cinnamon |
Filling
| 2 1/2 cups | (625 ml) | milk |
| 1/2 cup | (125 ml) | white sugar |
| 1/4 cup + 2 tsp | (70 ml) | cornstarch |
| 3 | (large) | egg yolks |
| 1 tsp | (5 ml) | vanilla |
| pinch of | salt |
Meringue topping
| 3 | (large) | egg whites |
| 1/4 cup | (60 ml) | sugar |
| 1/4 tsp | (1 ml) | cream of tartar |
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix all crust ingredients together with a fork. Set aside 2 tbsp (30 ml) of mixture, then press the remainder into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Mix all filling ingredients in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Stirring constantly, heat over medium heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens. This will happen very suddenly! Once this happens, it’s a good idea to remove the pan from the heat and whisk energetically to ensure no lumps.
- Pour into the crust and smooth the top.
- Use a scrupulously clean metal or glass bowl for the meringue topping. Any trace of fat and your egg whites will not whip. With a mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the sugar and cream of tartar. Continue to beat until the egg whites hold a stiff peak (when you pull the beaters out of the whites they will stand up straight).
- Pile the beaten whites on top of the filling. Carefully spread to the edges of the crust, ensuring the whites touch the crust so your meringue won’t shrink back in the oven. Sprinkle with the reserved crumbs.
- Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Watch the pie carefully during the last two minutes as the whites can brown up quite quickly. You want them to be golden. Remove to a rack and allow to cool.
- This pie needs to sit for several hours to set. When you are ready to serve, run your knife under hot water before each cut. This ensures a clean slice through the meringue. This pie tends to be a bit soft, and will collapse somewhat on the plate. But it is delish!
- Store any leftovers in the fridge, but note, this pie is best served the day it is made.