Mini Lemon Meringue Pies

3 eggs, separated

¾ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup water

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

3 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest, or to taste

1 tablespoon butter

6 prepared mini graham cracker pie crusts

¼ cup white sugar

¼ teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Beat the 3 yolks in a bowl until smooth; set aside.

Whisk 3/4 cup of sugar with cornstarch and flour in a saucepan until thoroughly mixed; beat in the water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to a simmer. Add the egg yolks and butter, and mix with the whisk until the filling is smooth and thickened; remove from heat. Spoon the hot lemon filling into the mini graham cracker crusts.

Beat the egg whites in a metal or glass bowl with 1/4 cup of sugar and the almond extract with an electric mixer until the meringue is fluffy and holds stiff peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Top each lemon pie with about 1 inch of the meringue and spread into decorative swirls and peaks with a spatula. Cover all the lemon filling with meringue.

Bake in preheated oven until the meringue is lightly golden brown with darker brown peaks and swirls, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.