Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie, baked

2¼ cups water

½ cup lemon juice

36 packets Equal sweetener or 10¾ teaspoons Equal for Recipes or 1 ½ cups Equal Spoonful

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel (optional)

2 tablespoons margarine

1 to 2 drops yellow food color (optional)

3 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

12 packets Equal sweetener or 3½ teaspoons Equal for Recipes 

Prepare pie crust.  Bake in preheated 425°F oven until pastry is browned, 10 to 15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

Mix water, lemon juice, 36 packets Equal sweetener and cornstarch in medium saucepan.  Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil and stir 1 minute.  Beat eggs, 2 egg whites, and lemon peel in small bowl; stir in about ½ of the hot cornstarch mixture.  Stir egg mixture into remaining cornstarch mixture in saucepan; cook and stir over low heat 1 minute.  Remove from heat; add margarine. Stirring until melted.  Stir in food color.  Pour mixture into baked pie shell.

Beat 3 egg whites in medium bowl until foamy; add cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks.  Gradually beat in 12 packets Equal sweetener, beating until stiff peaks form.  Spread meringue over hot lemon filling, carefully sealing to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.

Bake in preheated 425°F oven until meringue is browned, about 5 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

 

Makes 8 servings