Fresh Tangerine Meringue Pie   1 1/3 cups sugar ¼ cup cornstarch ½ t salt 1 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice  (cut tangerines in half, remove sections with a grapefruit knife, measure the juice.  Discard any seeds) 2 T lemon juice 4 egg yolks, beaten  (Separate eggs while cold. Set aside whites for meringue) 1 cup milk 2 T butter 1 t. grated tangerine peel (grate first, then section the fruit) 1 drop orange food coloring, or mix yellow and red 2 small tangerines, mandarins, or clementines 1 baked 9” pastry shells Meringue

In saucepan, thoroughly combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt; stir in tangerine juice until very smooth.  Blend in lemon juice, egg yolks, milk and butter.  Slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly; boil 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir in tangerine peel and food coloring; cool while preparing meringue.  Place tangerine sections on bottom of baked pastry shell.

Pour in warm filling, top with meringue, sealing well at edges of pastry.  Bake at 350 ^o for 12 to 15 minutes.  Cool on rack away from drafts.

Meringue

4 egg whites, room temperature

¼ t. cream of tartar

½ c. sugar

½ t. vanilla

Beat egg whites in small mixer bowl until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat at high speed to soft peak stage.  Add sugar very gradually, continuing to beat at high speed until whites are stiff, but not dry.  Fold in vanilla.

This recipe is from the Bakersfield Californian, and I hardly changed it at all!  Mandarins and clementines are the most delicious tangerines, but when they are available, for only about one  month around Christmas time, everyone in Bakersfield and in Hilo has more than they can use! 

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