Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What is the liquid at the bottom of the lemon meringue pie? ›

Water seeping from meringue is practically always coming from the egg whites. There are a few standard things you can do to reduce it. First, do not overbeat. For some reason, recipes love to direct people to beat egg whites "to stiff peaks".

The watery layer between the meringue and the filling (weeping) is usually caused by undercooking. This is where it is important to put your meringue onto hot filling so it can begin cooking right away.

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!

Use two tablespoons of tapioca starch for one tablespoon of cornstarch. Don't boil tapioca starch or it will become stringy. It works well as a thickener in pie fillings or in baking.

One of the most popular pieces of advice for making a meringue-topped pie is to make sure the pie filling is piping hot when you top it with meringue. The steam from the filling will rise up and pass through the meringue, cooking your meringue from bottom to top and preventing liquid from pooling underneath.

For a lemon filling that's glossy and translucent, and firm enough to cut yet melts in your mouth, cornstarch is the thickener of choice.

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.

Yes, lemon meringue pie should be refrigerated. To prevent foodborne illness, never let it sit at room temperature for more than two hours. To store lemon meringue pie without messing up the meringue, place two toothpicks in the pie. Loosely cover it with storage wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Remove the paper once you're ready to top the pie; the meringue will bond together with the rough surface of the filling as the pie cools, which will keep the meringue from sliding off when you go to slice it. 4. Make sure the pie has cooled completely before you slice it; otherwise, you will have a mess on your hands.

Originally Answered: How do I prevent a lemon meringue pie crust from being soggy? Brush the bottom and sides of the crust with egg white, then blind-bake it completely. Once it's cool, add your lemon curd, top with meringue, then broil that for a few min for color.

Can you leave lemon meringue pie out overnight? ›

Avoid storing the pie outside of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. Once you've served a few slices of the pie, return the remaining pieces to the refrigerator to prevent bacteria growth. Never leave the pie sitting at room temperature for long periods of time.

Just like when you under cook it, placing a lemon meringue pie in the refrigerator after baking can cause the meringue topping to “weep." If you do have leftovers that you'd like to save, it's okay to refrigerate! Just know the texture may slightly change.

Cornstarch as Pie Filling Thickener

Just like the name suggests, cornstarch is derived from corn. Cornstarch is faster-acting than flour and forms a smooth, relatively clear filling. Just be aware that too much cornstarch can create a slimy texture.

Which one you use is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish.

Final answer: Lemon juice is added to lemon pie filling after the starch has thickened the water to preserve the right texture. The acid in the lemon juice can break down the starch-water gel, thinning the mixture.

When liquid accumulates between the meringue and pie filling, the meringue is said to weep. This occurs because the meringue was spread on a cool filling. To avoid this, always spread the meringue on a hot filling. Beading—brown droplets on the surface of the meringue—may occur if the meringue is overcooked.

So you could use lemon juice and still have a "plain" meringue. It is also possible to use another mildly-flavoured acid, such as white wine vinegar, (apple) cider vinegar or cream of tartar. The amount you would use would be the same regardless of which alternative you use.

Lemon juice is added to apple crisp and apple pie filling to keep the apple pieces from turning brown.

To make a sturdier meringue, your recipe may direct you to add an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar, white vinegar, or lemon juice. Caution: Don't use a copper bowl if you're adding acid to stabilize your meringue; it will react with the copper and discolor the egg foam.