Jennifer LeBow

Jennifer LeBow’s Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Preheat to 400 degrees.

Bake either homemade or store bought (Pillsbury) crust about 8 minutes, til just starting to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

On low/med heat in 2 qt. pot, mix:

1 ½ cups sugar

6 T corn starch

Add:

1 ½ cups water

Stir constantly, increasing to medium heat until mixture boils.  Boil 1 minute while stirring.

Slowly pour half of hot mixture into:

3 beaten egg yolks (save the whites for the  meringue)

Pour all of the egg mixture back into the pot. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add:

½ cup lemon juice

4 T cut up butter

Combine thoroughly and pour into pre-baked pie shell.

For meringue:

With wire whisk attachment, beat until foamy in stand mixer:

3 egg whites

3/4 t cream of tartar

Add a little at a time, beating until glossy and somewhat stiff:

6 T sugar

¾ t vanilla

Spread meringue evenly atop lemon curd and use knife to make pattern if desired.

Bake in 400° oven 9 minutes.

 

 

Jen LeBow’s Rugelach Recipe

NOTE: This recipe takes extended time—at least 4 hours for the dough to chill and then 10 for it to thaw, 15 minutes in the freezer once the pieces are rolled and ready to go in the over and then about 20 minutes cooking time.  It can be stretched out easily over two days.

In food processor, combine:

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 t vanilla

Add and mix about 20 seconds:

2 sticks (1 cup) cold butter, cut up into pea-sized pieces

Add and mix just til crumbly (don’t overprocess):

8 oz. cold cream cheese, cut up into about 8 pieces

1 T vanilla Greek yogurt

 

 

Dump out on counter divide into 4 balls of dough and flatten slightly. Wrap each disc individually in plastic.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours, up to 2 days.

 

Bring one disc at a time to room temperature (let it sit out 10 minutes).

Leaving the disc between 2 sheets of plastic wrap (or in a pie crust bag), roll out with a rolling pin til thin and about 10-12” in diameter. The plastic prevents it from sticking to the rolling pin.

Smear with raspberry jam, cinnamon and sugar and, if desired, crushed roasted almonds or other chopped nuts and/or mini chocolate chips.  Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, divide dough round into 16 triangular pieces, like cutting a pie. From the outside of the dough round, roll each triangle gently toward the center, putting a tiny bit of pressure on the point to secure it to the rest of the piece. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment.

Preheat oven to 390 degrees. FREEZE cookie sheet with prepared rugelach 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, brush each piece with cream.  Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.