Drunken Clementine Pie

Awhile back, I wondered aloud if I could make a Creamsicle pie. A friend, trying to be helpful, piped up, "Sure! Just use orange sherbet and top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!" That wasn't quite what I had in mind. Any fool could come up with that. I wanted a real, homemade orange meringue pie. I wasn't sure how to do it and eventually forgot about it.

Then, I came across Sweety Pies, a fantastic pie cookbook by Patty Pinner. My dad had a copy, and out of it I made my first pecan pie. It was amazing. I also found the pictures and stories that accompanied each recipe positively charming, so as soon as I found a copy at Half Price Books, I bought a copy. This is an adaptation of Almeta McCray's Tangerine Meringue Pie, found on page 149.

You'll need:
one crust for a 9-inch pie, fully pre-baked
1 to 1 1/4 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
a pinch of salt
1/2 c. fresh clementine juice
4 eggs, separated
graded zest of 1 or 2 clementines
1/2 stick butter
mandarin orange vodka
1/2 c. sugar
2 additional egg whites, if needed
vanilla or whipped cream vodka

Mixi the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan, then whisk in the clementine juice. Add the egg yolks and mix well. Add the butter and zest.

Cook over medium heat, still whisking, until it starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and continue to stir as the filling thickens. Add 1-2 oz of the vodka, and continue to cook. Give it a taste and see if you need more of anything, like sugar. The process will take 8-10 minutes. Once you have the right consistency, pour the filling into the pie crust. Preheat the oven to 350.

Now, make the meringue. Beat the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form. Add about 1 oz. of the vanilla or whipped cream vodka (or, if you can find Creamsicle vodka, add that) and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. They'll be nice and shiny because of the sugar. Mound it onto the filling, swirling to make it pretty. Bake for 8-10 minutes to get the meringue browned. Cool on a cooling rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate for another 3 hours or more.