This past week it's been really hot, and humid, here in the Tampa area. Baking all the Christmas cookies, I had the AC cranked all the way down, and it still took me three times longer than I figured, because had to pop the dough back into the freezer like every 5 minutes..
Tomorrow I'm baking several lemon meringue pies, and I'm wondering if you have any special tips/hints. Sometimes they come out perfectly..almost too pretty to eat, sometimes, not quite so.
Thanks again, and a Merry Christmas to you all..
The trick to lemon meringue is one I learned from the book “The Professional Pastry Chef”.... a wonderful book that teaches some of the science of cooking, which makes the art more fun!
1-1/4 T cornstarch
6 T water.
Mix and cook until thick.
5 egg whites
2 or 3 drops lemon juice
Whip until tripled in volume.
2/3 C sugar
Add to white and whip to soft peak stage.
1 t vanilla
Add vanilla and the cornstarch mixture (gradually) and whip until stiff peaks form. Stop when the whites are still glossy and moist looking, and will hold a peak when you pull out the beater.
I always showed my students that they could hold the bowl upside down, and the egg whites wouldn’t budge. The tendency is to overwhip the egg whites, and they get dull and almost chunky looking.
The purpose of the lemon juice in the whites is to allow the proteins to break down a bit and the whites will whip better. Any acid will do... cream of tarter (but after I got a chunk of it in a meringue in a fancy restaurant, I switched to lemon juice) or even vinegar. A few drops... and I do mean drops, won’t change the flavor.
The corn starch mixture is a stabilizer. It helps the egg whites to not break down and weep during the baking. Not always perfect, but it helps, and you really can’t taste it.
Of course, putting the meringue on a hot filling helps with the baking process as well.
Merry Christmas! Hope your day is filled with Joy.