How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie

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How Do I Stop Meringue From Weeping

How to Make Lemon Meringue Pie | Pie Recipe | Allrecipes.com

There are a few things that cause meringue to weep. Firstly, if sugar isnt dissolved into meringue properly, the granules can cause weeping. Over baking meringue can also cause weeping and baking on humid days will definitely have an impact on the meringue. Ive also found that meringue that is refrigerated has a tendency to weep.

Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe That Always Works

Making Lemon Meringue Pie seems like an involved process, and it can be, but its worth it.

I would give it a medium on the scale of easy to hard, but this recipe is easy to follow and while it has some moving parts, its totally attainable if you follow my recipe and tips below. In this post were going to cover every possible roadblock you might have between you and this gorgeous pie.

  • Aunt Tootsies Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
  • Perfect Crust For Lemon Meringue Pie

    Traditionally, lemon meringue pie has a pastry crust . I have a few thoughts on crust:

    • Make a perfect crust: One of the ways to make this pie much easier is to use a pre-made crust. I love my all butter crust recipe but in a pinch or when Im making an already involved recipe, Ill start with a pre-made crust.
    • Cook it properly: Make sure to partially pre-bake the crust. Youre going to bake the pie, but at a low temperature just to set the meringue, so the pie crust must be almost fully cooked.

    To blind bake your crust, youre going to put it in the 9-inch pie plate, poke some holes in the bottom, and line it with parchment paper. Then fill the pie with beans or pie weights and bake it at 425°F. The time it takes to bake your crust depends on the recipe youre using.

    If you are using my pie crust recipe, then youll blind bake it through the first baking step in my blind bake tutorial. If youre using a Pillsbury crust, it will only take about 10 minutes total.

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    Make The Lemon Filling

  • Mix: Whisk together the sugar and lemon zest. Add the salt and cornstarch, whisk to distribute evenly. Set aside.
  • Heat: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add water, lemon juice, and the sugar/cornstarch mixture, stir to make sure the cornstarch dissolves. Add the egg yolks and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens and some bubbles burst at the surface, about 5 mins.
  • Make it Smooth: Strain the filling through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
  • Fill: Transfer cool lemon filling into the cool pie crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the filling sets completely, about 4 hours.
  • Tips For The Fluffiest Meringue

    Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

    Dont let the meringue part of this lemon meringue pie intimidate you. This dessert is going to become the best you ever made with these tips, perfection is just a few minutes away.

    • Egg Whites: Separating the egg yolks from the egg whites is super important. If you get even a smidge of egg yolk in your egg whites, your meringue will be ruined. To help you avoid that separate the eggs while they are are still cold. Cold eggs separate better than room temperature.
    • Room Temperature: However, room temperature egg whites will whip up easier and better so after you separate them, let your egg whites come to room temperature.
    • Create The Peaks: It might take some patience but you will want to make sure your peaks are good and stiff. Dont worry it will come
    • Design: This is the most fun part. With the back of a spoon gently create swirls and whirls for your meringue, they will look awesome when youve browned them.
    • To Brown the Meringue: I used a kitchen torch to get that golden brown look you want. But you can get the same look by moving the oven rack close to the top and turning on your broiler. place the lemon meringue pie in the oven and watch it carefully turning as needed to brown it evenly.

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    Why Does Meringue Shrink

    As egg whites are beaten, they stretch and trap air bubbles. The size and strength of the bubbles determine the durability of the meringue. Small, even bubbles are more lasting than big, uneven ones.

    An acid, such as cream of tartar, makes egg-white bubbles stronger. Add it before beating the whites into a coarse foam. To further strengthen the protein in the whites and force the bubbles to break into firmer, tiny ones, gradually beat in the sugar. When the foamy mass is glossy and holds distinct peaks, the bubbles are still flexible enough to swell when heating air expands in them as the meringue bakes. If sugar is added before a coarse foam is established, the whites get too stretchy to make a stiff foam. If you add the sugar too fast, the granules wont dissolve and the bubbles will be uneven. If you overbeat the whites, the meringue loses its gloss and the bubbles are stretched to their maximum when heated, they pop and drain liquid. In underbeaten egg whites, the insufficiently developed bubbles break and drain.

    However, even perfectly whipped meringues are relatively short-lived . Heat firms the pie meringue, and one that is baked longer at a lower temperature will hold up better than one baked briefly at a high temperature. As the meringue cools, the air in the bubbles contracts and causes slight shrinkage. Eventually, the bubbles sag, moisture drains from them, and the mixture gets gummy and chewy.

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    Taste a classic recipe! This pie is bursting with fresh lemon taste and a sweet, creamy real meringue topping.

    Ingredient List
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1cup Gold Medal⢠all-purpose flour
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/2teaspoon salt
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/3cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 2to 3 tablespoons cold water
      Filling
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 3egg yolks
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1 1/2cups sugar
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/3cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1 1/2cups water
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 3tablespoons butter or margarine
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 2teaspoons grated lemon peel
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/2cup lemon juice
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 2drops yellow food color, if desired
      Meringue
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 3egg whites
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/4teaspoon cream of tartar
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 6tablespoons sugar
    • Small check mark in a circle icon 1/2teaspoon vanilla
    Preparation
  • In medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender , until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl .
  • Tips

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    How To Make The Best Lemon Meringue

    There are a few steps to this dessert, but it is so worth the effort. Trust me, this is going to be one of the best pies you will ever make.

  • Crush: Ground Graham crackers in a food processor, mix in melted butter until the crumbs hold in a clump when pressed together.
  • Pie tin: Press the crust into the bottom and up the side of a pie pan using the flat bottom of a small glass or measuring cup. Place in the refrigerator to set for about 15 minutes while the oven is preheating.
  • Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the crust for 10 minutes.
  • Cool: Turn the oven off and remove the pie crust. Set it on a wire rack to cool.
  • Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

    How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie

    by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    This zingy lemon meringue pie rests in a crisp and flakey homemade butter crust and has a mound of light as air Italian meringue on top making for an easy to make but very special treat!

    This pie is a lemon-lovers dream come true! Tons of zing and a perfect balance of sweetness and textures in each bite. I loved this recipe with a homemade butter crust but you can make a crushed cookie or nut crust if desired. The contrast of CRISP butter crust and soft zingy filling is just great. If you dont love meringue you can always top with a big mound of whipped cream instead!

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    Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe

    Homemade lemon meringue pie cant be beat, but it can be tricky to make. Lemon meringue pie is extremely temperamental: It doesnt like humidity, and it doesnt like to be overmixed, undercooked, or overcooked. Over the years, baking expert Carole Walter has worked out most of the kinks in this delicious dessert, and in this video, Fine Cookings Shelley Wiseman demonstrates Caroles step-by-step recipeincluding all of Caroles tricks and pro secrets for the perfect lemon meringue pie.

    Homemade lemon meringue pie cant be beat, but it can be tricky to make. The most common problems that occur with this classic are soggy bottom crusts, fillings that dont set, and beads of moisture forming on top of the meringue, also known as weeping. These issues occur because lemon meringue pie is extremely temperamental. It doesnt like humidity. It doesnt like to be overmixed, undercooked, or overcooked. Over the years, baking expert Carole Walter has worked out most of the kinks in this delicious dessert, and in her step-by-step recipe, she passes all shes learned, including her pro secrets, on to you.

    More ins-PIE-ration: Get inspired to celebrate Pi DayMarch 14by making this or any of the scrumptious pies in our slideshow.

    What Makes a Perfect Lemon Meringue Pie?

    The lemon filling in some pies can be overly thick and starchy. This filling has a luxuriously smooth consistency thatsnot too thick or thin. Using fresh lemon juice and zest is the key to its bright, citrusy flavor.

    Make The Billowy Meringue

    To make the meringue, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl using a whisk attachment until foamy and soft peaks start to form. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. A stiff peak is where you can lift the whisk attachment out of the bowl and the meringue holds its shape without melting back in on itself.

    Mound the light and fluffy meringue in the center of the hot filling. This helps cook the meringue from underneath and prevent meringue shrinkage and weeping. Use a rubber spatula or a knife to press it all the way into the edges, which helps seal it in place. I like to make decorative swirls and peaks in the meringue with the back of the spatula or knife.

    Bake the pie in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the meringue is lightly browned on top. Watch so the meringue doesnt burn! Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 2 hours so the pie can set up. Transfer the pie to the fridge and serve chilled or at room temperature. Leftover lemon meringue pie should be refrigerated and is best eaten within 2-3 days.

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    How To Temper Eggs:

    A scary part about making a lemon curd like this is tempering the egg yolks.

    Tempering eggs is just a fancy way of saying that youre getting them ready to put in the hot custard mixture. If you just pour them into the hot lemon mixture, theyll scramble so we have to do it slowly.

    First, pour a bit of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then, pour the egg yolk mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly. Thats it!

    Keep cooking for 2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in some butter and then your mixture will be ready. I always strain my filling just in case little pieces of egg have cooked.

    Strain your filling to ensure a silky pie filling

    PRO TIP

    Place the filling in the pie crust and immediately make the meringue. You dont want the pie to cool too much before adding the meringue and baking the pie. The heat from the filling will make the meringue cook to the top of the pie.

    How To Make Lemon Meringue Pie Topping

    Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe, How to Make a Perfect Lemon ...

    The meringue toasts in the oven. A lot of recipes call for putting the whole pie under the broiler, but I prefer to bake it so that the egg whites have a chance to cook through. Also, see the end of step 6 in the recipe below. Make sure you spread the meringue topping on while the filling is still warm. The warm filling helps seal the two layers together, preventing separation.

    • Did you know? Room temperature egg whites whip faster than cold egg whites. And room temperature egg whites whip into a greater volume than cold egg whites. So make sure your egg whites are at room temperature before starting the meringue.
    • Time saving tip: You need 5 egg yolks for the lemon filling and 5 egg whites for the meringue topping. Separate the 5 eggs while they are cold. Leave the egg whites out on the counter. Blind bake the pie crust and prepare the lemon filling. By the time youre ready to start the meringue, the egg whites will be room temperature.

    Meringue can be tricky, but youre a baker and you can absolutely handle this.

    Want to watch me make the lemon meringue pie filling, topping, and assemble the pie? Here you go!

    • Cook Time:1 hour, 10 minutes
    • Total Time:7 hours, 10 minutes
    • Yield:one 9-inch pie

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    Making Perfect Lemon Filling

    When eat your lemon meringue pie, you want the lemon filling to be silky smooth and that perfect combination of tartness and a bit of sweet. Here is how we do that.

    • Heat Slowly: After you seperate the egg yolks from the whites you want to add them to the pot before they get hot. The mixture should be warm, but not hot. If the mixture is to hot youll curdle the eggs or basically scramble them.
    • Stir: The secret to luscious lemon filling is to stir constantly and stir well. Do not walk away from your pot.
    • Strain: Pushing the filling through a fine mesh strainer will guarantee you will have silky smooth lemon filling. Do not skip this step.

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