Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe, Whats Cooking America (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep a lemon meringue pie crust from getting soggy? ›

Blind Bake

You can fully blind bake a pie until it's completely cooked, which you have to do when adding a cooked filling like custard or mousse, or you can partially bake the crust before adding the filling and finishing the baking. In either case, blind baking goes a long way in keeping everything nice and crisp!

Water is leaking from the beaten whites (they're 87% water), pooling between the filling and the meringue, and dripping down the sides to the crust. The cause? While the meringue cooks on top when it is put into a hot oven, there isn't sufficient time for the meringue to cook on the bottom.

Make meringue pie on dry, low-humidity days. Don't overbake your meringue! Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink and squeeze out small droplets of moisture. Always make sure to check on your pie at the minimum baking time.

The lemon meringue filling is thickened with cornstarch. But if you overwork the filling, the cornstarch's thickening abilities are weakened, and you'll be left with a runny mess. To prevent this, you'll cook the filling in two intervals.

Storing your lemon meringue pie correctly will keep it fresh for up to 3 days. If you've baked your own pie, leave it to cool on a rack for 1 hour, then place it in the fridge uncovered for 3 to 6 hours before serving.

The key to thickening Lemon Meringue Pie so it sets properly is to cook the filling until bubbles start to pop on the surface of the lemon/egg yolk mixture. It should be the consistency of thick pudding before you remove it from the heat. If it's not thick before you add it to the pie, it will never set properly.

While it is true that the sugar and eggs add more calories, it is still a relatively healthy pie. How healthy is it per slice? Well, let's take a look at the ingredients. According to the USDA, one slice of lemon meringue pie contains 180 calories, 11g of carbohydrates, 10g of sugar, 4g of fat and 2g of protein.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tops have browned. Let the lemon meringue pie rest and come to room temperature before serving. This usually takes about 2 to 3 hours. When you cut into the pie, the meringue should be stiff on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

Can I still bake runny meringue? ›

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Adding the Sugar Too Quickly

In general, a given weight of egg whites can absorb up to an equivalent weight of sugar, but you can't just dump it in all at once or it will simply knock all the air out of the foam.

This came from a combination of things - over baking the meringue, and then removing it from the oven and leaving it to cool too quickly. Because the lemon filling is an egg set custard, as it bakes then cools the protein in the eggs contract, causing cracks in the surface of the pie.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven. The layer will absorb moisture and prevent the filling from turning the crust soggy.

Meringue pies will ''weep'' water because of the interaction between the filling and the whipped meringue. If one or the other is overcooked, water beads will form and weep. Egg whites can also weep if they are over-beaten or are from old eggs. Refrigeration (unfortunately) speeds up the process of weeping—oops!

Keep baked merengue in a dry environment.

As a result, if you can help it, it's best not to bake meringue on a humid day. If you do, make sure your meringue has cooled completely—ideally on the baking sheet in the oven—before transferring it to an airtight container.

This tip comes from Dorie, who says: “Brushing the prebaked bottom crust with beaten egg white before filling your pie is helpful, as is brushing it with melted chocolate — both make good raincoats, one more flavorful than the other.” PJ particularly recommends using melted chocolate when making pecan pie for a candy- ...