Recipe: Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Kristen Murray’s Rhubarb Meringue Pie

(From Kir Jensen’s The Sugar Cube: 50 Deliciously Twisted Treats from the Sweetest Little Food Cart on the Planet)

My friend Kristen Murray, an amazing pastry chef in Portland who has worked in some of the top kitchens in the country, shared this delicious recipe, which has been in her family for generations. Rhubarb happens to be one of my most favorite things, and this pie, enriched with eggs and topped with fluffy meringue, achieves the perfect balance of sweet and tart. 

“It was my Great-Grandmother Nora’s recipe,” says Kristen. “When my grandmother passed, my mom and I brought home one of her favorite recipe boxes. Inside I found many treasured recipes for foods I loved eating, smelling, and helping to make as a child. This recipe was typed on blond card stock worn with time and use in Nana’s kitchen. The word ‘Mother’ is in the right-hand corner, as Nana always liked to identify the person who gave her the recipe. I miss these beautiful Norwegian women, but making their recipes always makes me feel closer to them.”

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Pie Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 1/2 tablespoons ice water

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Filling

4 cups cut rhubarb (peel any tough skin and slice into 1/2-inch-wide pieces)

6 large egg yolks (whites reserved for meringue)

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Meringue

6 large egg whites

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

TO MAKE THE PIE CRUST: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and salt and pulse a few times. Add the butter and pulse until pea-sized pieces are formed. Sprinkle the ice water and cream over the mixture and pulse several times until the dough starts to come together. (To check, squeeze some of the dough between your thumb and index finger. It should hold together. Be careful not to overmix, or you will disrupt the delicate layers of butter and flour.) Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry work surface and gather it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.

REMOVE THE DOUGH from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften a bit. On a lightly floured surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round that’s 1/4-inch thick. Make sure to turn the dough frequently as you roll to prevent sticking. (Use a bench scraper to dislodge any areas that stick to the work surface and dust the area lightly with flour.) Transfer the pie crust to a 9-by-2-inch pie plate and gently pat into place. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold under and crimp. Freeze for 30 minutes.

TO MAKE THE FILLING: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rhubarb, egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Place the pie on the center rack of the oven and bake until the rhubarb is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes. (The filling will look slightly jellied, like marmalade. To ensure the meringue doesn’t begin to deflate, wait until the pie has finished baking before making it.)

TO MAKE THE MERINGUE: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. With the mixer on medium-high, gradually beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the whites hold medium-stiff peaks and look glossy. Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift the confectioners’ sugar over the whites. Use a spatula to gently fold the sugar into the meringue (the confectioners’ sugar enhances the tex­ture). When the pie is ready, gently spoon the meringue on top and create decorative peaks using the back of the spoon.

PUT THE PIE BACK IN THE OVEN and bake until the surface of the meringue is lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool before serving.