Simple switches: lemon meringue pie (2024)

FAQs

How do I keep my lemon meringue pie crust from getting soggy? ›

The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.

Our Test Kitchen recommends following the recipe, beating, and baking as written. The watery layer between the meringue and the filling (weeping) is usually caused by undercooking.

If the meringue is swirled onto a cool filling and baked, steam in the reheating filling just reaches the meringue. As the pie cools, the steam condenses to form the sweet weeping (sometimes a pool) under the meringue.

Choose the Right Rack in the Oven

Which rack you use in the oven can help ensure a crisp crust. Baking the pie on a lower rack will concentrate heat on the bottom of the pie and help the crust crisp.

Place the uncovered pie in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours.

Avoid putting any plastic wrap or foil over the pie if you're refrigerating it for less than 6 hours. Covering the pie with a wrap can crush the meringue, causing it to release moisture and get runny, which is called “weeping.”

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.

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

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.

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.

The soft French meringues that typically top lemon meringue pies are pretty unstable. If poorly made or just given enough time, the structure that makes up the meringue will break down, and this will allow for the release of moisture and sugar, which is known as weeping.

Do you beat meringue with a whisk or beater? ›

When do you use the whisk beater versus the flat beater on a stand mixer? The whisk beater is used to aerate mixtures such as egg whites for a meringue; the spade or flat beater to mix things together. Unless otherwise specified in a recipe, it is generally the flat beater that is meant to be used.

Slow and steady is the fast and hard rule for any meringue. Start slow when whipping the whites for small and stable bubbles, slowly up the tempo so you don't over beat and then slowly add the sugar. This goes for your oven too. We're not cooking, so much as drying out the meringue.

The trick is to store the baked, cooled meringues in the freezer, where the dry, cold air prevents them from attracting moisture and losing their crispness. This means you can make plain meringue cookies anytime, yes, but you'll also have so many other desserts waiting at your fingertips.

Seal the pie by making sure the meringue is attached to the edge, so it doesn't shrink while baking. Use the back of a spoon to carefully and gently spread the meringue and create peaks. Bake in the preheated, 325-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.