RL Lemon meringue pie question

[smile1]

For all the real-life bakers out there, how do I avoid beads from forming on my lemon-meringue pie?

[Chenier]

I don't think you can...it's the natural oils in the egg.

I dunno...I like the taste of the beads, so never bothered me.

[Rewde]

Try this recipie....

Meringue:
1/2 cup sugar, superfine
2 tablespoons water
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Meringue: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the sugar and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Cook until the syrup boils. Turn the heat to low. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Bring the sugar syrup to 236 degrees and slowly drizzle the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the whites with the motor of the mixer running. Beat the whites for an additional 2 minutes until shiny.

I have not had the beads form when doing mine. Maybe, it's just luck. Hope it works for you.

[iasmin]

Re: RL Lemon meringue pie question

Originally posted by smile1
For all the real-life bakers out there, how do I avoid beads from forming on my lemon-meringue pie?

If I'm not mistaken, you're overbaking your meringue. As you bake the meringue, it tightens and forces the water outside.

You're aiming to cook your meringue to 160F. I'd check your oven with an oven thermometer to see that it's actually baking at the correct temperature. Assuming it is, consider lowering the temperature of the oven a bit and baking the pie for a shorter time.

[Rewde]

Re: Re: RL Lemon meringue pie question

Originally posted by iasmin
If I'm not mistaken, you're overbaking your meringue. As you bake the meringue, it tightens and forces the water outside.

You're aiming to cook your meringue to 160F. I'd check your oven with an oven thermometer to see that it's actually baking at the correct temperature. Assuming it is, consider lowering the temperature of the oven a bit and baking the pie for a shorter time.

Also, do not undercook it either, or it can "run". Hopefully, you have an oven with a glass window in the door so you can keep an eye on it. Openeing and closing the oven door to check on the doneness of the meringue is not good for it either.

I have heard from other people who do baking that they use a baine-marie when they are baking theirs. Do not know for sure if it works, as I have not tried it.

Good luck to you, and I hope your pies turn out wonderfully.

[iasmin]

Re: RL Lemon meringue pie question

Originally posted by Rewde
Also, do not undercook it either, or it can "run".

Very true and good advice. A runny meringue (not the beading on the meringue as described in the original post) can be the result of a number of things. Most often it's because people put the pie in the fridge, a big no-no with meringue pies. If you plan to have a meringue pie for the holidays, make it as close to the time you need it as possible, perferably the day you'll eat it. If you have to store it, perhaps overnight, leave it covered on your counter, not in the fridge. A quick search on "weeping meringue" or "meringue troubles" will net you a plethora of tips and tricks to help your pie making ventures happier ones.

Originally posted by Rewde I have heard from other people who do baking that they use a baine-marie when they are baking theirs. Do not know for sure if it works, as I have not tried it.

It works well for any pie with a custard style base in my experience. Cheesecakes as well benefit from the use of a baine-marie. A baine-marie, is essentially a waterbath for your pie. It allows the heat to be more evenly distributed to the pie and keeps the pie from suffering from radical temperature spikes and dips. For the new pie maker, though, it's a little daunting to use.

You can make one yourself with a glass baking dish a bit larger than your pie and some tin foil. Set your pie in a nest of tinfoil that's constructed so it won't take on water. Don't cover the pie with the foil, just use the foil to make a second pie tin of sorts. Put the pie in the foil nest directly into the glass baking dish and put water outside the nest but inside the baking dish. Bake your pie as usual.

[Rewde]

Mmmmmm.. cheesecake.... I still remember spending the 2 days before my wedding baking and decorating 21 of them. Thank god for being able to buy things in bulk at Sams Club.


p.s. Don't make a pumpkin cheesecake... that is just wrong to do

[Keridwyn]

Hey, Rewde, glad to see I'm not the only one crazy enough to bake their own wedding cake! 10 orange pound cakes with cranberry filling and white chocolate frosting here!