Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small saucepan mix the cornstarch and cold water thoroughly.

3. Add boiling water to cornstarch mix and heat to a boil over low-med heat. Stir constantly.

4. When it thickens; take off heat and place pan in cool water to cool it down to room temperature BEFORE you add it. Let this rest while starting the next steps.

5. Separate 3 egg whites (make sure not even a drop of yolk gets in bowl or it will completely ruin your meringue) and place in a mixing bowl.

6. Add lemon juice or vanilla; beat until is stands in soft white peaks (it may take awhile, don't cut the beating short)

7. Add sugar ONE Tbs at a time; beat the heck out of the meringue after EACH individual Tbs of sugar is added.

8. Keep beating until meringue is glossy and has firm peaks (it will be really shiny and stand straight up on its own).

9. Take your saucepan with the cornstarch mix (make sure it is at room temperature) and spoon in all of the mix at once to the meringue; blend well.

10. Make sure your pie filling is HOT; starting around the crust add meringue in BIG spoonfuls, press firmly at first to make sure there are NO air pockets and crust is sealed ( I get down eye level with it just to be sure).

11. When meringue has totally covered the pie filling, make little peaks with a spoon to fancy it up.

12. Bake for about 15 minutes; the meringue will weep if undercooked so make sure it is nicely browned. Use a toothpick when you think it is done, if it comes out clean the meringue is done!

13. If you have done all of these steps you should have a perfect meringue, if you use any shortcuts or slack your meringue will suffer.