Lemon Lavender Meringue Pie

Pie Crust

• Cut butter into ½-inch cubes and keep cold in the refrigerator.
• In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour and salt. Add butter, toss to coat in flour, then use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into pea sized pieces.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the cold water mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding a few more tablespoons of water if still crumbly. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and pat into a fat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and crimp edges as desired. Use a fork to prick the bottom all over then freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• When ready to prebake the crust, preheat oven to 375° F.
• Line the crust with parchment and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 35 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment paper and weights and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden all over.
• Remove crust from and reduce oven to 350° F.

Lemon Lavender Filling

• Combine yolks in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, lavender and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, and continue to cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in about ½ cup of hot mixture into egg yolks to temper. Return mixture to saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook another 3-4 minutes until mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Strain mixture into warm pre-baked pie crust and set aside. Make meringue while the lemon filling is still hot.

Meringue Topping

• Place egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in an extra-clean mixing bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment.
• Beat on medium speed until the whites are loose and foamy, 2-3 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and add granulated sugar slowly (1 tablespoon at a time), until egg whites are stiff and glossy.
• Spread meringue on top of warm lemon filling. Make sure meringue reaches all the way to the edge of the crust.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until meringue is golden brown and set. Let cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour, then chill for 3 hours before serving. Sprinkle with candied lemon before serving.